Making Sense of Your Freedom

James W. Felt

ISBN 10: 0268070520 / ISBN 13: 9780268070526

Published by University of Notre Dame Press, US, 2005

About this Item

Written for general readers and students, this book provides an accessible and brief metaphysical defense of freedom. James W. Felt, S.J., invites his audience to consider that we are responsible for what we do precisely because we do it freely. His perspective runs counter to the philosophers who argue that the freedom humans feel in their actions is merely an illusion. Felt argues in detail that there are no compelling reasons for thinking we are not free, and very strong ones for thinking that we are. The view that Felt develops parallels that of the French philosopher Henri Bergson (1859-1941). In the course of his analysis, Felt considers determinism, compatibilism, agency, and the problem of evil. Featuring an updated suggested reading list, this clearly and engagingly written introductory work is ideal for the undergraduate classroom.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780268070526

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Making Sense of Your Freedom
• Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press, US
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0268070520
• ISBN 13: 9780268070526
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 298 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Written for general readers and students, this book provides an accessible and brief metaphysical defense of freedom. James W. Felt, S.J., invites his audience to consider that we are responsible for what we do precisely because we do it freely. His perspective runs counter to the philosophers who argue that the freedom humans feel in their actions is merely an illusion. Felt argues in detail that there are no compelling reasons for thinking we are not free, and very strong ones for thinking that we are. The view that Felt develops parallels that of the French philosopher Henri Bergson (1859–1941). In the course of his analysis, Felt considers determinism, compatibilism, agency, and the problem of evil. Featuring an updated suggested reading list, this clearly and engagingly written introductory work is ideal for the undergraduate classroom.

About the Author

James W. Felt, S.J., is professor emeritus of philosophy at Santa Clara University. He has published a number of books, including Making Sense of Your Freedom: Philosophy for the Perplexed (Cornell University Press, 1994; reprinted by University of Notre Dame Press, 2005); Coming To Be: Toward a Thomistic-Whiteheadian Metaphysics of Becoming (State University of New York Press, 2001); and Human Knowing: A Prelude to Metaphysics (2005), Aims: A Brief Metaphysics for Today (2007), Adventures in Unfashionable Philosophy (2009) all pubished by the University of Notre Dame Press.