All You Need To Know About Determinism and Freewill in Stoicism (Episode 93)
Nov 7, 2023
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Michael, a guest on the podcast, discusses determinism and freewill in Stoicism. The conversation covers Stoic physics, the argument for causal determinism, moral responsibility, and objections. They explore the conflict between Stoic agency and determinism, the implications of determinism on punishment and praise, and the significance of determinism in Stoic philosophy. They also touch on the understanding of Stoicism without complete determinism and the role of providence in human freewill.
Stoicism embraces determinism, viewing everything as following predetermined physical laws and causal chains based on predetermined physical laws.
Stoics believe in moral responsibility, stating that individuals have the power to cause events that are co-fated to occur through their nature and character, emphasizing self-authorship and the freedom to act according to one's nature.
Deep dives
Stoic Physics and Determinism
The Stoic view is that everything that exists is a body and follows predetermined physical laws. They argue for causal determinism, stating that everything has a cause and the nature of each event is determined by its causes. This perspective rejects the existence of randomness and upholds a deterministic universe. Stoic determinism is based on the idea that there is a causal chain of events unfolding according to predetermined physical laws.
Implications for Free Will and Responsibility
Stoics believe that even in a deterministic world, individuals can still be praised and blamed for their actions. They argue that certain actions are in accordance with one's nature, while others are not. The Stoic notion of freedom focuses on being true to one's character and nature, rather than being able to choose between good and evil. They view character as a skill or craft, and individuals should be judged based on their actions that result from their character.
Can Stoic Determinism be Compelling?
While determinism is a central part of Stoic philosophy, the validity of determinism itself is a topic of debate. Modern arguments for determinism exist, but it remains a complex and nuanced subject. However, the Stoic perspective doesn't solely rely on determinism. It emphasizes the importance of self-improvement and ethical behavior, regardless of the exact nature of free will or determinism. Stoicism offers a framework for individuals to focus on cultivating virtue and leading fulfilling lives.
Challenges and Questions
One question raised is whether Stoic determinism allows for moral responsibility. Critics argue that if all actions are predetermined, individuals cannot be held accountable for their choices. Stoics address this concern by arguing that individuals' actions are still within their power, even if they are part of a causal chain. They assert that individuals have the ability to cause events that are co-fated to occur through their nature and character. The focus is on self-authorship and the freedom to act according to one's nature.
"Nothing has happened which was not going to be, and likewise nothing is going to be of which nature does not contain causes working to bring that very thing about."
The Stoics believed that we were responsible for our actions and that every action was fated.
In this conversation, Michael explains how they made sense of those two ideas.
We cover determinism, freewill, and moral responsibility in Stoicism.
(00:54) Introduction
(04:41) The Lazy Argument
(07:03) Stoic Physics
(15:56) The Argument for Causal Determinism
(25:10) Moral Responsibility
(35:33) Free Will
(44:29) Objections
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