Fatalism, Determinism and Free Will as the Axiomatic Foundations of Rival Moral World Views
Issue: Vol 22 No. 1 (2014)
Journal: Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism
Subject Areas: Philosophy
DOI: 10.1558/eph.v22i1.53
Abstract:
One of the prominent questions of moral thought throughout history is the question of moral responsibility. In other words, to what measure do human actions result from free will rather than from being subordinate to a common “predetermined” law. In ancient Greece, this question was associated with mythical figures like Moira and Ananke while in recent times it is connected with concepts such as determinism and compatibilism. The argument between these two world views crosses cultures and historical periods, giving the notion that there are two types of ethical point of view that have assumed shapes during history. These points of view are mutually exclusive on the one hand, and on the other, they both stand as axiomatic standpoints of morality throughout history. The dialectical relationship between the two formulates the moral discourse throughout history.
Author: Yair Schlein
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