2011•Journal of Central South University(Social Science)Requires access

Mind-body problem and determinism and free will

Chen Shi-feng

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Abstract

The fundamental sticking point of mind-body problem is the conflict between mechanic determinism and free will.Moral and responsibility require the existence of an actual and not epiphenomenal free will.On the other hand,the modern science emphasizes the cause and effect closed in the physical world by the mechanism which denies that the free will can cause any physical movement being the true reason in the movement among muscles and neurons.Indeterminism is a necessary condition for free will,however quantum and other similar doctrines only emphasize the epistemological impossibility of forecast,failing to provide ontological indeterminism in any way.The downward causation emphasized by the doctrine of emergence provides some chances to challenge determinism,at the same time human free will must be limited only to make use of necessity.

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The fundamental sticking point of mind-body problem is the conflict between mechanic determinism and free will.Moral and responsibility require the existence of an actual and not epiphenomenal free will.On the other hand,the modern science emphasizes the cause and effect closed in the physical world by the mechanism which denies that the free will can cause any physical movement being the true reason in the movement among muscles and neurons.Indeterminism is a necessary condition for free will,however quantum and other similar doctrines only emphasize the epistemological impossibility of forecast,failing to provide ontological indeterminism in any way.The downward causation emphasized by the doctrine of emergence provides some chances to challenge determinism,at the same time human free will must be limited only to make use of necessity.

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Available abstract

The fundamental sticking point of mind-body problem is the conflict between mechanic determinism and free will.Moral and responsibility require the existence of an actual and not epiphenomenal free will.On the other hand,the modern science emphasizes the cause and effect closed in the physical world by the mechanism which denies that the free will can cause any physical movement being the true reason in the movement among muscles and neurons.Indeterminism is a necessary condition for free will,however quantum and other similar doctrines only emphasize the epistemological impossibility of forecast,failing to provide ontological indeterminism in any way.The downward causation emphasized by the doctrine of emergence provides some chances to challenge determinism,at the same time human free will must be limited only to make use of necessity.

Key concepts: Indeterminism, Free will, Determinism, Causation, Epistemology, Compatibilism, Impossibility, Incompatibilism

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