short For writing assignment, read Frankfurt's entire article. Then read passage about Jones4 and the principle of alternate possibilities. Should explain the principle of alternate possibilities, and then explain the case of Jones4. Explain how the Jones4 case proves the principle is false. No more than 2 typed pages. Make it VERY clear, organize it well.
Thursday, September 06, 2007. Ayer's two claims: 1. indeterminism is not compatible w/ responsibility 2. determinism is compatible with responsibility I. II. III. Ayer's argument against the compatibility of freedom and indeterminism. Ayer's analysis of freedom and freedom's compatibility with determinism Chisholm's objection Ayer
Contrast to freedom with being caused. Freedom SHOULD be contrasted with constraint Ayer claims: an act in free if and only if she could have done otherwise. "could have done otherwise" = if she had chosen otherwise, then she would have done otherwise. Consider a and b a. he could have done otherwise b. if he had chosen otherwise, then he would have chosen otherwise A' he could have not pulled the trigger" B' "if he had chosen not to pull the trigger, then he would not have pulled the trigger" Ayer's argument requires that 1. a and b mean the same thing 2. b type claims are compatible with determinism. (can be true, even if determinism is true)