Free Will
Description
Free will remains one of the great problems in philosophy. Whether human choices and actions are causally determined or in some way free and the implications of opting for one position or the other on our moral, personal, and social lives continues to challenge philosophers. Written in a clear and uncomplicated style, this introduction to the problem of free will provides readers with a solid grasp of the central issues as well as the ability to analyse and evaluate the ideas and arguments involved. Free Will explores the determinist rejection of free will through detailed exposition of the central determinist argument and consideration of responses to each of its premises. At every stage familiar examples and case studies help frame and ground the argument. Focusing on a clear, single line of argument allows the author to demonstrate what scrupulous and persistent analytic philosophical inquiry looks and feels like in practice. The manner and approach used throughout encourage the reader to contribute to the debate as an engaged participant. Free Will will be welcomed by students looking for an engaging and clear introduction to the subject. As a rigorous exercise in philosophical argument it will serve the beginning philosophy student as an excellent spring board into the subject more generally.
Reviews
"Very clearly written, in a plain, accessible, and attractive way and in a style and manner that is approachable and engaging to a high degree. Students will gain a clear and secure sense of a good and effective mode of philosophical discussion and assessment, where positions are presented, analysed and evaluated in a non-dogmatic, non-programmatic way, in careful, open and palpably honest fashion, acknowledging that there can always be more to be said, and that avenues always remain to be explored. It deserves to become a firmly established text for students of this topic." N. J. H. Dent, Professor of Philosophy, University of Birmingham