Hard Determinism vs. Hard Incompatibilism

Attribute	Hard Determinism	Hard Incompatibilism
Belief in determinism	Believes that all events are determined by prior causes	Believes that free will and determinism are incompatible
Denial of free will	Denies the existence of free will	Denies the compatibility of free will and determinism
Focus on causality	Emphasizes the causal chain of events	Emphasizes the incompatibility of free will and determinism
Implications for moral responsibility	Challenges traditional notions of moral responsibility	Argues that moral responsibility is not compatible with determinism

Definition of Hard Determinism

Hard determinism is the philosophical view that all events, including human actions, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. In other words, hard determinists believe that every event has a cause, and that free will is an illusion. According to this view, everything that happens is the result of a chain of events that can be traced back to the beginning of time.

Attributes of Hard Determinism

One of the key attributes of hard determinism is the belief in causality. Hard determinists argue that every event, including human actions, is caused by prior events in a deterministic chain. This means that there is no room for randomness or chance in the universe, and that everything that happens is the inevitable result of preceding causes.

Another attribute of hard determinism is the denial of free will. Hard determinists argue that because every event is determined by prior causes, human beings do not have the ability to choose their actions freely. Instead, our actions are predetermined by the causal chain of events that preceded them, leaving us with no real control over our choices.

Hard determinism also emphasizes the idea of predictability. If every event is determined by prior causes, then it should be possible to predict future events based on an understanding of the causal chain. This deterministic view of the universe suggests that everything that happens is already pre-determined, and that there is no room for true spontaneity or free will.

Definition of Hard Incompatibilism

Hard incompatibilism is a philosophical position that combines elements of hard determinism and hard indeterminism. Hard incompatibilists argue that free will and determinism are incompatible, meaning that if determinism is true, then free will cannot exist. However, they also reject the idea of indeterminism, which suggests that events can happen without a cause.

Attributes of Hard Incompatibilism

One of the key attributes of hard incompatibilism is the rejection of both determinism and indeterminism. Hard incompatibilists argue that neither determinism nor indeterminism can account for the existence of free will. They believe that if every event is determined by prior causes, then free will is an illusion. Similarly, if events can happen without a cause, then there is no room for genuine choice or agency.

Hard incompatibilism also emphasizes the idea of moral responsibility. If free will does not exist, then it is difficult to hold individuals accountable for their actions. Hard incompatibilists argue that without the ability to choose freely, individuals cannot be held morally responsible for their behavior, as they are simply acting in accordance with the deterministic or indeterministic forces at play.

Another attribute of hard incompatibilism is the focus on the limitations of human understanding. Hard incompatibilists acknowledge that the nature of free will and determinism is complex and difficult to fully grasp. They argue that our understanding of these concepts is limited by our cognitive abilities, and that it is possible that there are aspects of reality that are beyond our comprehension.

Comparison of Hard Determinism and Hard Incompatibilism

While hard determinism and hard incompatibilism share some similarities in their rejection of free will, they differ in their views on causality and determinism. Hard determinism argues that every event is determined by prior causes in a deterministic chain, leaving no room for free will. In contrast, hard incompatibilism rejects both determinism and indeterminism, arguing that free will and determinism are fundamentally incompatible.

Another key difference between hard determinism and hard incompatibilism is their views on moral responsibility. Hard determinism suggests that without free will, individuals cannot be held morally responsible for their actions, as they are simply acting in accordance with the causal chain of events. Hard incompatibilism, on the other hand, emphasizes the limitations of human understanding and the complexities of the relationship between free will and determinism.

Overall, while both hard determinism and hard incompatibilism challenge traditional notions of free will and determinism, they do so in different ways. Hard determinism focuses on the deterministic nature of the universe and the lack of free will, while hard incompatibilism takes a more nuanced approach, rejecting both determinism and indeterminism in favor of a more complex understanding of the relationship between free will and causality.