William James on Free Will - 1523 Words

Origins of William James / Jamesian Thinking William James, born 1842, was a trained physician who subsequently dabbled in works of philosophy and psychology (in which he officiated as a formal study through lectures) (Goodman, 2009). As did many philosophers, Jamesian thinking seeded many discussions on various philosophical topics such as metaphysics, morality, free will-determinism, religion and the afterlife; however, what truly made his ideas notable was his uncanny ability to borrow and integrate knowledge from branches of physiology, psychology and philosophy to weave new insights and dimensions onto traditional philosophical arguments (Goodman). His influential piece called The Principles of Psychology took these ideas together and†¦show more content†¦Chances (naturally existing and somewhat determined) do not primarily cause actions, as it is the choices (individual volitions) that one has decided which permit an action to occur (Doyle). All in all, the model assumed that free will is essentially â€Å"†¦chance in a present time of random alternatives, leading to a choice, which grants consent to one possibility and transforms an equivocal ambiguous future into an unalterable and simple past† (Doyle, 2010, p.7). As a closure to this and in light of how great philosophies leave with prominent questions in mind, James elaborated an example to his lecture attendees of a chance and choice alternative, which until today is considered one of the greatest arguments against libertarian free will (Doyle, 2010); Imagine that I first walk through Divinity Avenue, and then imagine that the powers governing the uni verse annihilate ten minutes of time with all that it contained, and set me back at the door of this hall just as I was before the choice was made. Imagine then that, everything else being the same, I now make a different choice and traverse Oxford Street. You, as passive spectators, look on and see the two alternative universes,-one of them with me walking through Divinity Avenue in it, the other with the same me walking through Oxford Street. Now, if you are determinists you believe one of these universes to have been from eternity impossible: you believe it to have been impossible becauseShow MoreRelatedWilliam James on Free Will1537 Words   |  7 PagesOrigins of William James / Jamesian Thinking William James, born 1842, was a trained physician who subsequently dabbled in works of philosophy and psychology (in which he officiated as a formal study through lectures) (Goodman, 2009). As did many philosophers, Jamesian thinking seeded many discussions on various philosophical topics such as metaphysics, morality, free will-determinism, religion and the afterlife; however, what truly made his ideas notable was his uncanny ability to borrow and integrateRead MoreBaron dHolbach and William James on Free Will and Determinism1192 Words   |  5 PagesBaron dHolbach and William James on Free Will and Determinism 3. Discuss the issue between Baron dHolbach and William James on free will and determinism? Before we can discuss the issue between Baron dHolbach and William James we have to know the definitions of the items the issue is about. Free will according to the Encarta encyclopedia is The power or ability of the human mind to choose a course of action or make a decision without being subject to restraints imposed by antecedentRead MoreCauses Of The Bloodless Revolution1053 Words   |  5 Pages The Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution, the Bloodless Revolution, or the Revolution of 1688 all refer to the overthrowing of King James II of England. In his place came his daughter, Mary II, and her husband, William III. Though it is referred to the Bloodless Revolution, there were plenty of skirmishes and a few minor battles in the Ireland regions, however these are often overlooked. Rising tensions between political parties, influenced by religion, caused a divide in the state andRead More The Glorious Revolution of 1688 Essay1498 Words   |  6 Pagesis having obligations or duties to something and being able to distinguish between right and wrong. In England, the political leaders drove King James II out of the country in order to end his oppressive rule as an absolute monarch. The Dutch Prince William of Orange, James’ son-in-law, invaded England to rule. Parliament gave the throne to William and his wife Mary but placed restrictions on their sovereignty with the Bill of Rights. This declaration gave more power to the people and made themRead MoreWilliam James787 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam James (1842-1910) William James was a philosopher and psychologist but was most well known in the field of Psychology for developing the philosophy of pragmatism, or the Functionalist theory: Theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function in its environment. He was also the first Psychologist to be born in America. William James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr. was aRead More William James Essay764 Words   |  4 Pages William James was a philosopher and psychologist but was most well known in the field of Psychology for developing the philosophy of pragmatism, or the Functionalist theory: Theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function in its environment. He was also the first Psychologist to be born in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr. was a Swednborgian theologian, andRead MoreThe Separation Between Church And State1492 Words   |  6 Pagesexercise his or her free right of religion stands as rights both alienable, natural right, and unalienable, God-given right. As President Thomas Jefferson states in letters to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut, the federal government stands prohibited to regulate or control those who exercise religion. The predominant issue between church and state does not rest on protecting those avoiding religion, but to protect those choosing to practice religious freedom. Roger Williams and John WinthropRead MoreQuamina Eddoo Analysis1070 Words   |  5 Pages the important men are those who had influence in Abina’s life and can also be defined as wealthy, and/or landowning, men who were fluent in English (57). This is evident by looking at the various encount ers throughout Abina’s story, for instance James Davis is considered an important man since he was the one who helped Abina formally charge Quamina Eddoo and indirectly etched Abina into history through the paper to the magistrate (13). Quamina is also an important man as his mistreatment and coercionRead MoreAnalysis and Historical Context from Second Treatise of Civil Government by John Locke1152 Words   |  5 Pagesnot concentrated in the same person (the King) because he would be tempted, and in fact it was happening, to use them just to satisfy his desires. Locke also says that individuals are under no obligation to obey one another, and that we are all born free. He continues talking about how a man has the power to do whatever it takes to preserve himself and others, but always obeying the law of nature. People have the power to overthrow the king if he is not being just with his subjects; people have absoluteRead MoreThe Matrix, By Keanu Reeves1120 Words   |  5 Pagesideas and theories are explored, including the idea of Free Will versus Determinism. The movie’s main character â€Å"Neo† (Portrayed by Keanu Reeves) is labelled as â€Å"The One†, and is used as a catalyst to represent these philosophical ideas. The Oracle is used as a representation of Determinism, whilst Neo is used as a symbol for Free Will. These representations in turn relate to thefamous philosophical theories ofby philosophers including William James and Arthur Schopenhauer. In The Matrix, Thomas Anderson