Illusory Free Will

Illusory Free Will

What exactly does it mean to posess free will? Free will in essence is composed of two conditions. The first and most apparent is that we must be given two or more possibilities or options when faced with a choice. The second, is that we are free to choose the option of choice without force. This notion of free will plays a critical role in our understanding about the world, particularly in our apportioning praise and blame, and in our pronouncement of persons morally responsible for things they have done.

There are many conditions in which we find that serve to dimish moral responsibility and liability. We do not hold those who are young responsible for moral decisions because they are unable to predict their own consequences of actions and

may not have a fully developed understanding of morality. We do not hold those who are under a strong medication responsible, for they may have impaired psychological effects, thus hindering them from responsible choices. Those who are forced, delerious, coherced, or lacking fundamental education or a proper upbringing are also not held responsible. These conditions and influecing factors bring us