Freedom Causality and Determinism

Where should I have got?

1. You ought to be able to say, within say 1000 words each, what the following positions are:

Determinism
Compatibilism
The regularity interpretation of causality
The view that time travel is certainly impossible
The view that the course of human history is fixed

2. You should be able to describe in broad terms the contents of the 'basic reading' for each of the four weeks, as set out in the Part I handbook

3. You should be able to respond at essay length (1000 - 1200 words) to questions such as the following:

Are you a determinist?
Do you think a determinist can believe that human beings are sometimes responsible for their actions?
What is a cause?
Explain and evaluate Hume's theory of causation.
Discuss the possibility of human freedom.

This means being able to explain what one or more relevant positions are, and then presenting perhaps three or four clear arguments relevant to the question. You should be able to weave into your discussion relevant points from some of the pieces printed in Part IV of the Reader.

4. You should be on nodding acquaintance with the following great philosophers:

Hume
Kant

By nodding acquaintance I mean: You have heard of them, can spell their names and say what centuries they flourished in; and you can say in a sentence something about their general philosophical orientation or contribution.

VP

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