Introduction to Philosophy

Achieve Test Prep: Philosophy

William James: The Will to Believe William James argued that indeterminism was the moral rationale belief about human freedom, like most aspects of the way we live our lives assume that we all have some degree of freedom. James strengthened his argument by pointing out that neither judgments of regret or approval are possible, and that determinism leads to a radical pessimism that simply does not explain lived human experience. The testimony of our direct, lived experience demonstrates the most compelling grounds for free will, provided there are no sufficiently persuasive intellectual arguments to convince us otherwise. Our belief in free choice and personal responsibility infuses our beliefs in self-improvement, morality, religion, social improvement, crime and punishment, and many other dimensions in our private and public lives. Humans use their intellectual abilities to create concepts and theories to help them understand and give meaning to their lived experience. We should endorse those theories that provide the most rationale, clearest, complete, and persuasive understanding of our lived experience. James cast the debate that there are two ways to view the universe; a universe of actualities and a universe of possibilities. • The universe of actualities: No other options exists other than those that occur. If the events of the universe were a story, there is only one way and one way only that this story could be told (this is the determinist view). • The Universe of Possibilities believes that individuals are at liberty to make authentically free choices by exerting their freedom and independence supporting the belief that there are numerous opportunities for the future as we are active participants in our choices making us accountable for molding and determining reality. James believes that you cannot tell the difference between the two universes; only after the event has taken place. James analyzes judgments of regret which is simply the desire that events might have occurred differently or might have had other more desirable outcomes. The determinists believe the universe will never be better than it is and that all that happens occurs because it must occur in exactly the way it does. This can lead the reflective person to feelings of pessimism and regret. James concludes that determinism fails in explaining the beliefs and convictions of our lived experiences and believes that indeterminism is the only point of view of freedom. Sartre: We Create Ourselves through Our Choices Sartre was considered to be the chief advocates of modern existentialism. Existentialism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes the challenge and responsibility of all people to create a meaningful existence through the free choices that they make. Sartre believed that we cannot look outward to a supernatural creator; instead, we must look inward to our resources and possibilities as we struggle to create meaning in a world that often seems chaotic and absurd. In Sartre’s work, Existentialism is a Humanism, he writes about his beliefs regarding the role of personal freedom in our lives. Sartre assumes that human freedom is a reality and he goes on to develop and entire worldview based on this conviction. His view of freedom is extreme, stating, “We are condemned” to be totally

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