Originally posted by Pawnokeyhole Okay, let's get rid of the term "character" altogether.
(1)
Either ALL EVENTS PROXIMATE TO PERSON P, INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL (ALL) are causally sufficient for P to act in the manner he does, or ALL are not sufficient.
(2)
If ALL are causally sufficient, then P could not have done otherwise than that which he in fact did.
(3)
If ALL are ...[text shortened]... r sufficient cause, then the act could logically be free. Isn't this possible in principle?
It seems that #1 is too inclusive to allow a proper statement...since the manifestation of freewill, I would think, would consist of a series of internal events.... All in all, I don't see this heading anywhere.
Originally posted by echecero It seems that #1 is too inclusive to allow a proper statement...since the manifestation of freewill, I would think, would consist of a series of internal events.... All in all, I don't see this heading anywhere.
Well, both internal and external events, by acting as causes for the psychological events underlying apparently willful acts, might make free will impossible, don't you agree? Hence, it's important to incorporate them into the argument.