The Philosophy Of Human Nature - 1140 Words

Jack Dufresne Prof. Brandon Philosophy of Human Nature 1 December 2015 Freedom of the Will The will, in its simplest form, is the ability for one to control one’s own actions. Through the will, the morality of the action is entirely decided by the doer. Augustine professes the will simply permits the doer to do evil. In Socrates’ assertion, free will is contingent on self-control because without it, one can find oneself enslaved to a material thing or desire. Based on reading and prior knowledge, it can be deduced that the only thing that can truly keep one from vice is free will. As Augustine examines certain events in his own life, he tries to analyze human nature as a whole, and explores why human beings, even children, have the†¦show more content†¦Augustine feels while one’s choices are ultimately part of God s plan; one should still have the free will to choose to turn away from him. The intellect leads the souls will, but the will does not always follow1. This is part of how one can knowingly do wrong. One knows what should be done, but one can also knowingly act against this2. Intellect may have the truth, one’s desires may press with what one wants to do, but the will ultimately chooses. Socrates view on free will was the drive for self-control. He believed the unexamined life is not worth living. For Socrates, free will is impossible without self-control, for unbridled passions can remove one’s agency. His view in the Republic (as told by Plato) is in conflict with the libertarian view, where people who are slaves to their desires have the right to self-determination, regardless of what their idea of the best life is. The reason for his disagreement with libertarian free will in the Republic is justness requires reflection3. This leads to conclude actions are entirely determined by beliefs of what is the good, and beliefs of what is the good is determined by knowledge. Socrates believes, in a similar way, nobody willingly chooses to do wrong. Like Augustine, he advocates doing wrong always harms the wrongdoer and that nobody seeks to bring harm upon themselves. In this view, all wrongdoing is