Compatibilism

Compatibilism is a philosophical position that argues free will and determinism are logically compatible. Determinism, the belief that all events are causally determined by prior events, seems to clash with the intuitive notion that we have genuine freedom of choice and responsibility for our actions. Compatibilists contend that this conflict is based on a misunderstanding of what freedom and determinism truly entail. They maintain that freedom does not require the absence of causal influence, but rather, the ability to act according to one's desires and intentions, even if those desires are themselves determined by prior causes. This perspective provides a framework for moral responsibility within a deterministic universe.

Compatibilism meaning with examples

• Sarah, a compatibilist, believed her decision to pursue a career in medicine was both determined by her past experiences and her free will. She argues her desires and motivations were formed by previous events. The fact that her choice was causally influenced didn't negate her freedom, but rather expressed it: her actions stem from her own character.
• Even if every event is determined, the compatibilist argued, we still make choices. John, a compatibilist, thinks a person is free if their action proceeds from their will, and not if it is a result of external coercion. Therefore, John's choosing to eat pasta over pizza is a free choice, but it is not a free choice if the action is a result of him being coerced.
• Critics of Compatibilism often point to the concept of 'alternative possibilities.' If determinism is true, they say, there is only one possible future, and therefore no real alternative choices exist, but a compatibilist can still argue that alternative possibilities might be 'available' to a person, even if ultimately they would not have chosen them.
• A central tenet of Compatibilism is that free will is not the ability to do otherwise but the ability to act on one's own desires. Alex, a compatibilist, believes that a person can be free if they can pursue their goals without interference. Compatibilism defends a type of freedom sufficient to ground moral responsibility.