Free Will
Sourcehood and its Alternatives
1st Edition
Published on 23. July 2008
208 pages
978-1-4411-1504-1 (ISBN)
Description
Much contemporary scholarship on free will focuses on whether it is compatible with causal determinism. According to compatibilists, it is possible for an agent to be determined in all her choices and actions and still be free. Incompatibilists, on the other hand, think that the existence of free will is incompatible with the truth of determinism. There are two dominant general conceptions of the nature of free will. According to the first of these, free will is primarily a function of being able to do otherwise than one in fact does. On this view, free will centrally depends upon alternative possibilities. The second approach focuses instead on issues of sourcehood, holding that free will is primarily a function of an agent being the source of her actions in a particular way. This book demarcates these two different conceptions free will, explores the relationship between them, and examines how they relate to the debate between compatibilists and incompatibilists. It ultimately argues for a version of Source Incompatibilism.
Reviews / Votes
'Timpe's Free Will: Sourcehood and Its Alternatives, is a very fine book that is highly recommended for anyone interested in the contemporary debates about free will and moral responsibility. Timpe is remarkably well-versed in the literature, and the book makes many intriguing and illuminating contributions.' Professor John Fischer, University of California Riverside, USA A valuable contribution to this series, introducing the reader to the fascinating but often complex philosophical issues pertaining to the discussion of free will.More details
Edition
1. Auflage
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
ISBN-13
978-1-4411-1504-1 (9781441115041)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
09/2008
Continuum Publishing Corporation
€221.90
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Kevin Timpe is Professor of Philosophy at Northwest
Nazarene University, USA, and former Templeton Research Fellow at St. Peter's
College, University of Oxford, UK. He is the author of Free Will: Sourcehood
and Its Alternatives (Continuum, 2008) and Free Will in Philosophical Theology (Continuum, forthcoming). He is
also editor of Metaphysics and God (Routledge, 2009), Arguing about
Religion (Routledge, 2009) and (with Craig Boyd) Virtues and Their Vices (Oxford University Press, forthcoming). His
recent publications have appeared in Philosophical Studies, American
Philosophical Quarterly, Canadian Journal of Philosophy, Faith and Philosophy,
Religious Studies, and Philosophia.
Nazarene University, USA, and former Templeton Research Fellow at St. Peter's
College, University of Oxford, UK. He is the author of Free Will: Sourcehood
and Its Alternatives (Continuum, 2008) and Free Will in Philosophical Theology (Continuum, forthcoming). He is
also editor of Metaphysics and God (Routledge, 2009), Arguing about
Religion (Routledge, 2009) and (with Craig Boyd) Virtues and Their Vices (Oxford University Press, forthcoming). His
recent publications have appeared in Philosophical Studies, American
Philosophical Quarterly, Canadian Journal of Philosophy, Faith and Philosophy,
Religious Studies, and Philosophia.
Content
Part I. Introducing the Issues
1. The Basics
Part II. Alternative Possibilities
2. The Debate Over the Ability to Do Otherwise
3. The Dilemma Defense
4. The Flicker Strategy
Part III. The Importance of Sourcehood
5. Sourcehood as Compatible with Determinism
6. Sourcehood and Incompatibilism
7. Sourcehood and Alternative Possibilities
Bibliography
Index
1. The Basics
Part II. Alternative Possibilities
2. The Debate Over the Ability to Do Otherwise
3. The Dilemma Defense
4. The Flicker Strategy
Part III. The Importance of Sourcehood
5. Sourcehood as Compatible with Determinism
6. Sourcehood and Incompatibilism
7. Sourcehood and Alternative Possibilities
Bibliography
Index
