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Tutorial 2

The document discusses Daniel Dennett's views on free will and determinism. It addresses why introducing randomness does not resolve the tension between the two ideas. It also discusses what it means for something to be inevitable and Dennett's claim that determinism is not opposed to those who dislike inevitability. The role of the brain in producing the future and how human freedom is arguably greater than other animals is also examined. The document also looks at Dennett's response to concerns that scientific knowledge may erode personal responsibility.

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8 views

Tutorial 2

The document discusses Daniel Dennett's views on free will and determinism. It addresses why introducing randomness does not resolve the tension between the two ideas. It also discusses what it means for something to be inevitable and Dennett's claim that determinism is not opposed to those who dislike inevitability. The role of the brain in producing the future and how human freedom is arguably greater than other animals is also examined. The document also looks at Dennett's response to concerns that scientific knowledge may erode personal responsibility.

Uploaded by

hafsazuha121
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Hafsa Faisal

A1885263

Tutorial 2
Part 2: Questions
1. Why does Dennett think the idea of introducing randomness is a “desperate and ultimately
hopeless” way to resolve the tension between determinism and free will?
Dennett states the notion that the concept of randomness is a desperate and ultimately hopeless
attempt to resolve tension between determinism and free will as it is merely a band aid on a
wound. Randomness in it’s essence would imply that all actions we make are completely random,
like a “roulette wheel” in our head, which doesn’t solve any issues regarding the dissonance
between free will and determinism, rather makes it even more complex.

2. What does it mean to say that something is inevitable? Why does Dennett claim that
determinism is “the friend, not the foe, of those who dislike inevitability”? Do you agree with
him?
Something that is inevitable means that the action/ behaviour/ event must happen every time
regardless of external factors. This ties into determinism as the theory states that everything that
happens has been pre-decided by past events. Therefore, I do not agree with Dennett that
determinism is the friend not the foe of those who like inevitability.

3. According to Dennett, freedom is about “producing future”. What role do our brains play in
this ability? Why do we arguably have more freedom than other animals?
Dennett argues that our brains “extract information from the past… to produce future”. By this, it
means that our brains understand and then weigh our options for each event and then produce
future based on what it decides. Dennett is calling this free will. However, we have more freedom
than other animals and mammals as our brains have evolved more. The basic parts of our brains
and behaviour are the same as animals: food, hunting, eating and sleeping. However, as humans
we are also able to acknowledge more information and make sound decisions based on it, which is
what Dennett is explaining in this section.

4. How does Dennett respond to the worry that “scientific knowledge of ourselves is eroding our
sense of responsibility”? Is it a mistake to take responsibility for one’s actions?
As an individual who is in a psychology degree currently, this paragraph was of special interest to
me. It describes how people use reasoning as justification, which is completely different to
responsibility of personal ethics and morals. Many people through understanding why and how
they behave, think that they are free from responsibility because of it, however, this is wrong. All
that understanding and science provides us with is the ability to look into why individuals behave
the way they do and how to be proactive in avoiding these scenarios. Reason does not equal
justification, which is why everyone still has responsibility for their actions.

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