Deck 52: David Hume: Liberty and Necessity

Question 1

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-According to Hume, our actions are free when

A) they are caused by our will.
B) they are uncaused.
C) they proceed from second-order volitions.
D) they succeed.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-According to Hume, the doctrines of necessity and liberty are consistent with

A) indeterminism.
B) religion.
C) morality.
D) uncaused events.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-According to Hume, without the reality of determinism, no one can be

A) free.
B) undetermined.
C) rightly blamed for actions.
D) conscious.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-According to Hume, a person can be held responsible for his actions only if they are determined by

A) God.
B) that person's nature.
C) the will of others.
D) society.

Question 5

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume says that we cannot blame someone for an action that does not come from his character.

Question 6

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume maintains that moral judgment is impossible.

Question 7

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume thinks that an opinion is false if it leads to dangerous consequences.

Question 8

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume believes that free will and determinism are compatible.

Question 9

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume says that an opinion is not false just because it leads to bad consequences.

Question 10

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume is an incompatibilist.

Question 11

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume believes that if compatibilism is true, moral responsibility is impossible.

Question 12

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume insists that whatever definition we give for free will, it should be consistent with matters of fact.

Question 13

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume says that the only proper object of hatred or vengeance is a person or creature endowed with thought and consciousness.

Question 14

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume assumes that if your will is determined, you cannot act freely.

Question 15

On the issue of free will, Hume is a compatibilist, persuaded that determinism (necessity) can be reconciled with free will (liberty). In this reading he maintains that reconciliation is possible if we define liberty as "a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will." The idea is that you act freely when your act is caused by your will (desires, motivations, etc.), even though your will is determined. If your will determines your actions, then they come from you, and you can therefore be held responsible for them. A will that is not itself caused is neither possible nor desirable.
-Hume says if your will determines your actions, you can be held responsible for them.