Are We Free to Choose Or, Are Our Actions Determined by Outside Forces - Essay Example

Are We Free to Choose? Or, Are Our Actions Determined by Outside Forces? Part One: Area of philosophy. In this case studyof Kenneth and Emily, we see them making some strange decisions due to what happened in the past. The decisions they make may be out of free will or not depending on the psychological impact they have on them. Free will tags along a problem for philosophy of mind and ethics because the repercussions have ethical importance and extends to the pure conception of ourselves. It is very clear from the experiences of Emily and Kenneth that the two were psychologically unfit to make a decision out of free will.

Part Two: Argument analysis. Most of the time people make decisions and later regret why they make such moves. In decisions made out of free will, people do not regret on the consequences of their actions. Emily and Kenneth regretted on their actions because they suffered. Since individual choices come with responsibility, we need to have the right kind control over our will and desire in the appropriate way. Although determinism may present an upfront challenge in that we are not free in choosing our desires or in acting on them.

In this natural world, everything we do is determined by what occurred before. For instance, in the case of the teenager, Kenneth Jackson, his unruly conduct seem to have developed over time as a consequence and response to his sexual molestation by the step-father and an unstable family or poor parenting upon divorce by his parents. On the second account, Emily Lopez, acts out of rage and bitterness after being tolerant for long to the violence and mistreatment by her husband. In the two cases, victims seem to have succumbed to pressure from outside which inclined them to behave and react in a gross and criminal manner.

Though this is not a justified way of responding to atrocities inducted on an individual, it is clear that choices made by both victims are influenced by past events. So, if determinism is deemed true then actions of human beings are causally necessitated; thus no one could have behaved otherwise. Part Three: Argument Evaluation. In psychology, an action is free so long as an individual does not choose to do otherwise. Kenneth and Emily could not have taken those courses of actions if they were not psychologically tortured.

These tortures were affecting their life and everything they do would be to rub the dark side. Kenneth Jackson in this case was charged in accordance to the law due to the crimes he committed. Though the choices he made were individualistic, anger seems to have been the driving force behind him. His sexual molestation and an unstable family status are hereby the external influences fueling the anger hence determined choices. If he could control his anger the choices he made could have been different.

Verge for vengeance may have possessed Emily Lopez pushing her to kill her husband. If she had chosen to separate from the husband and seek psychological aid when the violence started, perhaps the detrimental aftermath could have been avoided. Part Four: Conclusion In most circumstances, human beings do not make decisions out of free will. All actions are taken to achieve a predetermined goal. Emily had made a decision to find happiness, and the only way to get happiness was through elimination of Paul.

The case, that human action is causally necessitated then it may be deemed that no one has free will. If this is right then consequences for ordinary actions by people, tend to be devastating. If all the decisions made are out of free will, no person will be making decisions that harm them or their loved ones. The decisions of Emily and Kenneth had negative impact to their loved ones and themselves. Humans blame fellow humans, feel resentment towards them and perceive that their actions are out of free will.

This leads to conflicts, convictions and sometime even revenge which only worsen the situation. Such is a misunderstanding based on perception of determinism and that of power to choose. For instance, legal systems identify an individual as irresponsible if he or she is unable to control his or her actions. This raises the issue of compatibility which questions whether an individual could have acted otherwise. Compatibility is, therefore, possible if even determinism is true. In the case of Kenneth Jackson, he could have acted differently by seeking legal and psychological help rather than destroying public property, and the aftermath could have been different too.

Emily Lopez could also have filed charges against her husband or, even file a divorce which would have gone a long way to preventing the prolonged violence and her killing the husband. Free will and influenced actions thus tend to occur independently among individuals. Works Cited Chisholm, Roderick M.. Philosophy. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1964. Print