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168. Daniel Dennett & Gregg Caruso — Just Deserts: Debating Free Will (moderated by Michael Shermer)

The Michael Shermer Show

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Is Determinism Morally Responsible?

I'm defending my view, which is the same view i've been defending since 19 83. I don't want it to be controversial. The only thing that's controversial about it is that a lot of philosophers and a lot of scientists have been cawnned into thinking that if determinism is true, they're not morally responsible. They deserve to be punished in the everyday sense of deserv Not basic moral desert,. That's a philosopher's only notion. It doesn't play any role in the law or intuitions that support policies we have without holding people responsible. And when they don't, and responsibility is attributed correctly to them, then their refusal to take responsibility is itself a moral failing

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