PHILOS 1E03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Tyrant, Mind Control, Susan R. Wolf
8 Dec 2014
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Document Summary
Compatibilists and incompatibilists disagree about the conditions under which agents are responsible for actions: Compatibilists claim that the relevant conditions could be met even if determinism were true. Incompatibilists claim that the relevant conditions could not be met if determinism were true (e. g. because in that case the agent could not have done otherwise, or would not be the ultimate source of the action) One condition we normally think must be met is a lack of coercion (as reflected in, e. g. criminal law) If we judge that an agent performed a morally wrong action under coercion, we are inclined to excuse that action. A second condition we normally think must be met is sanity (this to is reflected in the criminal law) If we judge that an agent performed a morally wrong action while insane, we are also inclined to excuse that action.
