What's the best response to someone who believes in hard determinism but also uses this to deny responsibility for any immoral actions they commit? (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by PlogLod@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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That is, they think all of their decisions were preordained, and then use this to claim that they can't be held responsible for anything they do.

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[-] Akasazh@feddit.nl 6 points 8 months ago

Let him read the following dialog between God and a mortal considering determinism. It's actually not very theistic, but merely presenting the free will problem in a logical manner.

It's by logician Raymond Smullyan and it shows how untenable the position of extreme determinism is, without polarizing.

It's one of the things everybody struggeling with the free will vs determinism should read.

https://web.mit.edu/people/dpolicar/writing/prose/text/godTaoist.html

[-] philoneous@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

I was preordained to not read this.

[-] Akasazh@feddit.nl 0 points 8 months ago

Not really, you're just being obtuse, that's ok.

[-] philoneous@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

It was just a joke my friend (I actually did read it).

[-] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 2 points 8 months ago

Then the seal of paradox is broken, let all weep at what shall come.

[-] Akasazh@feddit.nl 0 points 8 months ago

That's ok too

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this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2023

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