The Free Will Show Episode 17: Compatibilism, Part 3 (Semicompatibilism) with Michael McKenna
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Apr 5, 2021 AI Snips
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Two Distinct Senses Of Freedom
- Semicompatibilism distinguishes two kinds of freedom: freedom in the actual sequence (source freedom) and freedom as ability to do otherwise (leeway).
- One can hold that moral responsibility is compatible with determinism by focusing on source freedom while remaining agnostic about leeway.
Frankfurt Case Illustrates Source Freedom
- Michael McKenna uses a Frankfurt-style case (Jones and Black) to show an agent can act on their own yet lack alternatives.
- In that case the agent seems responsible even though Black would have intervened if Jones tried to do otherwise.
Freedom As Psychological Mesh
- Mesh or hierarchical views explain freedom as harmony between sub-systems of the psyche, e.g., higher-order desires aligning with first-order desires.
- When components mesh, actions express the agent's 'real self' and count as free even without alternative possibilities.