What is a progressive view on free will?

[daedalus_dude]

I just wonder because to me it appears that the stereotype is that right-wingers emphasize personal responsibility while left-winger emphasize circumstance.

But surely the truth has to lie somewhere in the middle. Obviously, if someone steals food to feed their family, one is inclined to say that either they had no other choice, or they maybe did have a choice but the choice they made was the only one that made sense.

On the other hand, not many people on DU would give a rapist a free pass, even if it appears as if there is nothing behind his eyeballs.

[HughMoran]

1. The wax on your wings is starting to melt

:hi:

[laconicsax]

2. Is the rapist a priest? Was the victim "asking for it?"

Those factors seem to bring out people to defend the rapist.

On edit: I should point out that 'personal responsibility' as far as right-wingers are concerned means 'if you haven't got yours, you need to sit back and take it.'

[cbdo2007]

3. People on DU never admit a "somewhere in the middle" answer to anything.

That's why we're never actually able to solve anything here.

Nice try though.

[panader0]

4. Free will?

Do you step out in front of the truck, or stay on the curb and let it pass? That's your choice, that's free will. Your free will also extends to your thoughts, not just your words or deeds.

[rwheeler31]

5. We are free to not read your wanderings.

[Sinti]

6. I think it's a beautiful thing, and you should use it wisely.

Then report the experience of your choices back to others, so they might learn.

A belated Welcome to DU

[Orrex]

7. I feel strangely compelled to reply to this thread

[rurallib]

11. don't give in! that suggests that something is telling you to do it.

[aikoaiko]

8. The concept of free will or even just will almost doesn't exist in the behavioral science anymore.

Mostly, behavioral scientists assume the starting position of all behavior of an organism being caused by interactions of genes and environment from the moment of conception of the organism.

[daedalus_dude]

10. Hmm. Then we are just falling rocks?

Hard to believe.

[Odin2005]

16. There is no "prime mover" in the brain outside of casuality.

The human brain's processes can create representations of a highly abstract level, but it's still essentially input-output, creating appropriate responses to incoming sense data, like any other nervous system, that's why brains evolved.

[aikoaiko]

17. Rocks don't have genes and their events don't quite rise up to behavior.

So no, I wouldn't call us falling rocks.

[Lex]

9. Right-wingers may "emphasize" personal responsibility but point fingers at others like crazy

when it's THEIR OWN personal responsibility.

[rurallib]

12. right wingers are out to score as much money as they can

while coming up with all sorts of cover from the many sources they can bamboozle.

[Odin2005]

13. I don't believe in free will.

But that doesn't mean I don't think people can be held responsible for their decisions. knowing that you will be punished if you do something tends to change behavior.

[Orrex]

14. I've visited 31 inhabited planets in the universe, and I have studied reports on 100 more

Only on Earth is there any talk of free will.

[TheKentuckian]

15. Right wingers only care about personal responsibility until they are expected to

take some. It is our personal responsibility to take care of each other and be stewards of our world.

I'm thinking false premise here.