Free Will, Agency, and Meaning in Life

Derk Pereboom argues that basic-desert moral responsibility is incompatible with causal determinism and develops a comprehensive view of practical agency and the sources of meaning without it.

The book explores implications for ethics, punishment, and interpersonal attitudes, proposing alternative frameworks for blame and responsibility.

Pereboom defends the manipulation argument and examines both deterministic and indeterministic threats to desert-based responsibility.

He also addresses psychological, legal, and moral consequences of rejecting basic-desert responsibility while preserving meaningful agency.

Overall, the work integrates metaphysical argumentation with practical concerns about living a meaningful moral life.