Free Will

What is free will? Why is it important? Can the same act be both free and determined? Is free will necessary for moral responsibility? Does anyone have free will, and if not, how is creativity possible and how can anyone be praised or blamed for anything?These are just some of the questions considered by Joseph Keim Campbell in this lively and accessible introduction to the concept of free will. Using a range of engaging examples the book introduces the problems, arguments, and theories surrounding free will. Beginning with a discussion of fatalism and causal determinism, the book goes on to focus on the metaphysics of moral responsibility, free will skepticism, and skepticism about moral responsibility. Campbell shows that no matter how we look at it, free will is problematic. Thankfully there are a plethora of solutions on offer and the best of these are considered in full in the final chapter on contemporary theories of free will. This includes a rigorous account of libertarianism, compatabilism, and naturalism.Free Will is the ideal introduction to the topic and will be a valuable resource for scholars and students seeking to understand the importance and relevance of the concept for contemporary philosophy.

What is free will? Why is it important? Can the same act be both free and determined? Is free will necessary for moral responsibility? Does anyone have free will, and if not, how is creativity possible and how can anyone be praised or blamed for anything?These are just some of the questions considered by Joseph Keim Campbell in this lively and accessible introduction to the concept of free will. Using a range of engaging examples the book introduces the problems, arguments, and theories surrounding free will. Beginning with a discussion of fatalism and causal determinism, the book goes on to focus on the metaphysics of moral responsibility, free will skepticism, and skepticism about moral responsibility. Campbell shows that no matter how we look at it, free will is problematic. Thankfully there are a plethora of solutions on offer and the best of these are considered in full in the final chapter on contemporary theories of free will. This includes a rigorous account of libertarianism, compatabilism, and naturalism.Free Will is the ideal introduction to the topic and will be a valuable resource for scholars and students seeking to understand the importance and relevance of the concept for contemporary philosophy.

Acknowledgments vii1 Free Will 11.1 Why Care about Free Will? 21.2 Free Will and Fatalism 41.3 Time and Truth 71.4 Foreknowledge 131.5 Determinism 192 Moral Responsibility 272.1 Moral Responsibility 282.2 Freedom and Epistemic Conditions 292.3 Other Necessary Conditions 332.4 The "Free Will" Crisis 392.5 Moral Responsibility without Free Will 413 The Problem of Free Will 433.1 The First Argument 443.2 The Third Argument 483.3 The Mind Argument 513.4 Free Will Skepticism 544 Moral Responsibility: Incompatibilism and Skepticism 584.1 The Direct Argument 594.2 The Manipulation Argument 664.3 The Ultimacy Argument 695 Free Will Theories 735.1 Libertarianism 735.2 Free Will Skepticism 835.3 Compatibilism 865.4 Alternative Views 955.5 Final Thoughts 104Notes 106References 109Index 122