Timeline for Philosophers answering "what happens to a society that does not believe in free wıll?"
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
4 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Jan 28, 2023 at 11:34 | comment | added | Scott Rowe | I tend to focus on the role of specific words we use as knee-jerk inducing little hammers. If the word 'moral' gives us so many problems, switch to 'compelling', or whatever. Drop things down from the lofty Idea Realm, toward seeing that people instinctively conform, to a large degree, and pick the social strategies which get helpful outcomes, whether we like it or not, understand or not. By my reading, there are some conundrums, like how giving too much choice and too little 'punishment' produces, not sophisticated people but brats and thugs. Well too bad but we need society to continue. | |
| Jan 27, 2023 at 23:23 | comment | added | Kristian Berry | @ScottRowe correct me if I'm wrong, but your sentiment is (and if so, I agree with it almost wholeheartedly) that sermonizing and being otherwise authoritarian towards people we think have "done wrong" is often not effective at motivating them to change their behavior, and worse might often provoke people into being defensive about their "wrong" behavior and continuing to do as they did before, perhaps even more aggressively. OTOH I do have beliefs about akrasia (weakness-of-evil) that are informed by Donald Davidson enough to open the door to compelling (behavior-influencing) moral arguments. | |
| Jan 27, 2023 at 23:10 | comment | added | Scott Rowe | Right. We should do what works, not what we would like to work. | |
| Jan 27, 2023 at 13:53 | history | answered | Kristian Berry | CC BY-SA 4.0 |