Analysis of Susan Wolfs View - Essay Example

Wolf separates desires "determined foreign to oneself from desires which are determined by one's self,"(54) or deep-self. This view allows for some determinism, while also providing a vehicle for freedom of the will.

However, Wolf admits that the deep-self view needs further revision for it to be feasible. The deep-self view would hold someone responsible for their actions every time their deep-self determines a desire not controlled by some external or foreign source. However, Wolf's example of JoJo, the son of a cruel dictator, shows that although JoJo's deep self may truly want to do what is wrong, he cannot be held responsible for his actions because of his upbringing. This idea is not reconcilable with Wolf's deep-self view at first.

However, Wolf adds an addendum to her original hypothesis; namely, that the deep-self view holds only if the individual is sane. The definition of sanity that Wolf uses the M'Naughten Rule, which states: "A person is sane if (1) he knows what he is doing, and (2) he knows that what he is doing is, as the case may be, right or wrong."(55). If a person were insane, i.e. did not have a grasp of the difference between right and wrong, then they would not be held responsible for their actions.

By modifying the deep-self view in this manner, the case of JoJo is reconcilable with the deep-self view in that JoJo does not have an understanding of what is right or wrong, and therefore need not be held responsible for his actions. Wolf then summarizes her view by saying that "to be responsible for our actions, the sane deep-self view analyzes what is necessary to be responsible for ourselves as (1) the ability to evaluate ourselves sensibly and accurately, and (2) the ability to transform ourselves insofar as our evaluation tells us to do so."(57) Thus, Wolf's idea of responsibility is dependent upon our ability to understand the difference between right and wrong and our ability to evaluate and change our deep selves over time.  

When applying Wolf’s sane deep-self theory to the case of the twelve-year-old killer stated above, Wolf would most likely argue that the boy was responsible for his actions.  The reason for this is that there is no evidence in the case to support a claim that the boy did not understand the difference between right and wrong.  Further, the fact that the killing was done calculatingly and deliberately shows that the boy was fully aware of his actions at the time.  However, if it were the case that the boy did not understand the difference between right and wrong, then Wolf would say that the boy is not responsible.