Free Will & Determinism Define Essay

Q3: Define free will and determinism. Discuss how free will and determinism are relevant to the following theories:

Free will may be defined as the ability to make decisions independent of social, biological, and cognitive shaping mechanisms; determinism is the idea one is subject to such forces at cannot fundamentally alter one's future trajectory in a meaningful manner.

Freud's psychoanalytic theory

Freud took a highly deterministic view of how the human psyche was constructed. He viewed such complexes as the Oedipus Complex and the Electra Complex as part of universal human development patterns. A girl would inevitably suffer penis envy, even if she was raised by a feminist mother and father in a socially empowering environment. She could not choose to ignore negative internal forces that were hard-wired into her psyche. Similarly, boys all over the world were determined to wish to murder their father and marry their mother. The subconscious and conscious mind was universally present. The similarity of developmental patterns suggested that human beings were determined rather than free in terms of how they related to others and the freedom they could enjoy as autonomous beings, outside of culture. For Freud, the interior psyche and culture was one's fate. Although secular, Freud had a very fatalistic approach. Freud's theory is socially and cognitively, rather than biologically deterministic.

Skinner's theory of operant conditioning

Skinner's theory of operant conditioning, or that individual behavior could be shaped by being subjected to a series of negative and positive stimuli. Skinner portrays human and animal organisms as almost totally determined by social forces. Observable behaviors, rather than biologically-determined tendencies are Skinner's focus. Still, his theory is socially deterministic. Even humans, much like animals are subject to the sway of their 'learning' environment. Behaviors are imposed upon the individual. There is a limit to how much the individual can resist conditioning. Skinner even subjected children to conditioning influences to prove his theory.

Roger's humanistic approach

Roger's theory is predicated upon a belief in human choice. Rogerian therapy is non-directive in its approach. Its focus is upon enabling the individual to maximize self-actualization and establish a sense of control and autonomy over his or her life processes. Unlike Freud and Skinner, Rogers is not interested in creating a theory that proves freedom of the will or determinism in a macro fashion. Rather, he believed that giving individuals a sense of choice was psychologically beneficial. By not guiding the individual, as is the case in a psychoanalytic approach, Rogerian therapists enable clients to make their own discoveries. Only if a person believes in choice and his or her own freedom is a sense of self-actualization and a positive approach to life realized.