The Free Will Show Episode 11: Libertarianism, Part 1 (Event-Causal) with Christopher Franklin
Jan 11, 2021
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Conversion From Calvinism To Libertarianism
- Christopher Franklin recounts converting from Calvinist theological determinism to libertarianism after studying philosophy and finding compatibilist defenses persuasive then ultimately switching to libertarian views.
- He studied under John Martin Fischer and was influenced by Gary Watson's course on Thomas Reid, which pushed him toward event-causal libertarianism.
Libertarianism As Incompatibilism Plus Moral Accountability
- Libertarianism combines two claims: free will is incompatible with determinism and we sometimes act freely, with Franklin focusing mainly on physical determinism.
- He defines free action as satisfying the strongest control condition necessary for moral accountability, linking freedom to desert-based praise and blame.
Event Causation Ties Motives To Agency
- Event-causal libertarianism holds free actions are caused and that what it is to cause an action is for an agent's mental events (beliefs, desires, reasons) to bring it about.
- Franklin argues this links ordinary motivational psychology to agency without positing sui generis agentive powers.