“Free at Last,” college students shout as they watch their parents drive away from their new college dorm. Many students believe it is finally time to make their own decisions without being under the authority of controlling parents. Although this is a time of joy and happiness for many, several philosophers would argue that there is no freedom of choice, not at that moment or at any moment. Others, such as the traditional compatibilists would argue that there are free actions caused by one’s will and not externally constrained by any means at all. In addition, compatiblists would argue that determinism is irrelevant to whether or not we have free will. One objection that strikes a good argument is the case of a drug addict. An addict may meet the conditions of traditional compatibilism, but when examined closer they really do not possess free will.

One simple way to explain compatibilism of free will and determinism is, “having your cake and eating it too.” Compatibilism is a

likable explanation to the problem of free will, because it allows one to hold onto their belief of causal determinism and to suppose free will exists. In other words, “determined acts are free acts” (189). One conclusion to the compatibilist argument is that every act can be determined or caused, but it does not have to be. The lack of determinism is not necessary for free will to exist. Whether the act was determined or not, the ability to choose one option over another still subsists. For instance, if John has a decision to make for dinner between Outback and Carabbas, and he chooses to go to Carabbas, then he has freely acted upon his internal desires. Some compatibilists argue that it does not matter why he chose Carabbas, it only matters that he could have chosen Outback if he desired too. An extremely notable compatibilist, Thomas Hobbes was the first to say that free actions must have some sort of cause. The cause then comes from the will, which derives from the individual person. Hobbes termed this traditional compatibilism.

Some topics in this essay:
Thomas Hobbes, Land Free, Outback Carabbas, externally constrained, free actions, act free, traditional compatibilism, act determined, soft determinism, action caused, compatibilists argue, internal desires,