Items related to The Cruelty of Free Will
Does the idea that we have free will serve to foster our cruelty to one another? Richard Oerton has already dismissed the idea of free will as incoherent and illusory, doing so in The Nonsense of Free Will, a book described as "wonderfully clear - and very clever" by the New York Times bestselling author Sam Harris. The Cruelty of Free Will starts by recapitulating the theme of the earlier book, but then goes on to develop it in important ways. It asks two questions: why - and how - does free will belief persist so stubbornly? Philosophers and others who try to uphold free will are guided less by reason than by their own (probably unconscious) emotions. Blind to the fact that our everyday explanations of human behaviour are based, not on free will, but on an unacknowledged determinism, they try to preserve the idea of free will by means of sophistry and word-play. Their methods include a conjuring trick: that of replacing our common idea of free will with some other concept which, though they call it by the same name, actually involves no freedom of choice. Free will is thought to be a good thing and determinism a bad one, but Richard Oerton insists that we've got this the wrong way round because belief in free will fosters ignorance and cruelty. It allows us to think that those whose lives are bleak have only themselves to blame, and that criminals and other bad guys are embodiments of self-created wickedness deserving of retributive punishment - whereas in reality, we are all of us simply the products of biological and environmental luck. The Cruelty of Free Will asserts that human beings belong to what is still a savage species with few inhibitions against harming one another, and that we cling to the idea of free will mainly because it purports to justify the escape and expression of this savagery.
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About the Author:
Having qualified as a solicitor in 1959, Richard Oerton has been a book review editor of the Howard Journal and has worked in private practice, in legal publishing and at the Law Commission. Richard has produced a number of legal and other articles, written and edited legal textbooks and written three non-legal books, including The Nonsense of Free Will (Matador, 2012).
Review:
Oerton has done it again: a delightful, wise and compassionate diagnosis of the free will error, and why correcting it matters so much. -- Tom Clark, Director of the Center for Naturalism The Cruelty of Free Will contains an unpretentious and heart-felt denial of the sort of free will that supports retribution, whether championed by compatibilists, libertarians or illusionists. Oerton's denial of free will places itself squarely in the determinist, materialist and atheist traditions. His denunciation of moral responsibility is so straightforward yet profound that even those who are most strongly committed to this idea may feel impelled to rethink their attachment. Highly recommended for anyone who has ever been tempted to assign 'just deserts' - that is, for everyone. -- Richard Double, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania On a large subject about which there is common belief, good sense is rare. So is amiable lucidity. And humanity. This book has them. -- Ted Honderich, Grote Professor Emeritus of the Philosophy of Mind and Logic, University College London Moral responsibility and just deserts promote human dignity, protection of the innocent, equal opportunity, and respect for individual rights: or so both philosophers and "the folk" generally believe. That deep conviction makes it essential to preserve belief in moral responsibility at all costs. Richard Oerton demolishes that belief with wit, insight, and clarity, and this demolition work clears the ground for building a more humane and decent and scientifically sound system. -- Bruce Waller, Professor of Philosophy, Youngstown State University
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- PublisherTroubador Publishing Ltd
- Publication date2016
- ISBN 10 1785899929
- ISBN 13 9781785899928
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages160
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Cruelty of Free Will (Paperback)
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ISBN 10: 1785899929
ISBN 13: 9781785899928
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Does the idea that we have free will serve to foster our cruelty to one another? Richard Oerton has already dismissed the idea of free will as incoherent and illusory, doing so in The Nonsense of Free Will, a book described as "wonderfully clear - and very clever" by the New York Times bestselling author Sam Harris. The Cruelty of Free Will starts by recapitulating the theme of the earlier book, but then goes on to develop it in important ways. It asks two questions: why - and how - does free will belief persist so stubbornly? Philosophers and others who try to uphold free will are guided less by reason than by their own (probably unconscious) emotions. Blind to the fact that our everyday explanations of human behaviour are based, not on free will, but on an unacknowledged determinism, they try to preserve the idea of free will by means of sophistry and word-play. Their methods include a conjuring trick: that of replacing our common idea of free will with some other concept which, though they call it by the same name, actually involves no freedom of choice. Free will is thought to be a good thing and determinism a bad one, but Richard Oerton insists that we've got this the wrong way round because belief in free will fosters ignorance and cruelty. It allows us to think that those whose lives are bleak have only themselves to blame, and that criminals and other bad guys are embodiments of self-created wickedness deserving of retributive punishment - whereas in reality, we are all of us simply the products of biological and environmental luck. The Cruelty of Free Will asserts that human beings belong to what is still a savage species with few inhibitions against harming one another, and that we cling to the idea of free will mainly because it purports to justify the escape and expression of this savagery. Following on from the success of The Nonsense of Free Will, The Cruelty of Free Will takes up where the earlier book left off. It sets to answer two questions - why - and how - does free will belief persist so stubbornly? Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781785899928
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Cruelty of Free Will (Paperback)
Published by
Troubador Publishing, Market Harborough
(2016)
ISBN 10: 1785899929
ISBN 13: 9781785899928
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Does the idea that we have free will serve to foster our cruelty to one another? Richard Oerton has already dismissed the idea of free will as incoherent and illusory, doing so in The Nonsense of Free Will, a book described as "wonderfully clear - and very clever" by the New York Times bestselling author Sam Harris. The Cruelty of Free Will starts by recapitulating the theme of the earlier book, but then goes on to develop it in important ways. It asks two questions: why - and how - does free will belief persist so stubbornly? Philosophers and others who try to uphold free will are guided less by reason than by their own (probably unconscious) emotions. Blind to the fact that our everyday explanations of human behaviour are based, not on free will, but on an unacknowledged determinism, they try to preserve the idea of free will by means of sophistry and word-play. Their methods include a conjuring trick: that of replacing our common idea of free will with some other concept which, though they call it by the same name, actually involves no freedom of choice. Free will is thought to be a good thing and determinism a bad one, but Richard Oerton insists that we've got this the wrong way round because belief in free will fosters ignorance and cruelty. It allows us to think that those whose lives are bleak have only themselves to blame, and that criminals and other bad guys are embodiments of self-created wickedness deserving of retributive punishment - whereas in reality, we are all of us simply the products of biological and environmental luck. The Cruelty of Free Will asserts that human beings belong to what is still a savage species with few inhibitions against harming one another, and that we cling to the idea of free will mainly because it purports to justify the escape and expression of this savagery. Following on from the success of The Nonsense of Free Will, The Cruelty of Free Will takes up where the earlier book left off. It sets to answer two questions - why - and how - does free will belief persist so stubbornly? Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781785899928
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Cruelty of Free Will (Paperback)
Published by
Troubador Publishing, Market Harborough
(2016)
ISBN 10: 1785899929
ISBN 13: 9781785899928
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Paperback
Quantity: 1
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Does the idea that we have free will serve to foster our cruelty to one another? Richard Oerton has already dismissed the idea of free will as incoherent and illusory, doing so in The Nonsense of Free Will, a book described as "wonderfully clear - and very clever" by the New York Times bestselling author Sam Harris. The Cruelty of Free Will starts by recapitulating the theme of the earlier book, but then goes on to develop it in important ways. It asks two questions: why - and how - does free will belief persist so stubbornly? Philosophers and others who try to uphold free will are guided less by reason than by their own (probably unconscious) emotions. Blind to the fact that our everyday explanations of human behaviour are based, not on free will, but on an unacknowledged determinism, they try to preserve the idea of free will by means of sophistry and word-play. Their methods include a conjuring trick: that of replacing our common idea of free will with some other concept which, though they call it by the same name, actually involves no freedom of choice. Free will is thought to be a good thing and determinism a bad one, but Richard Oerton insists that we've got this the wrong way round because belief in free will fosters ignorance and cruelty. It allows us to think that those whose lives are bleak have only themselves to blame, and that criminals and other bad guys are embodiments of self-created wickedness deserving of retributive punishment - whereas in reality, we are all of us simply the products of biological and environmental luck. The Cruelty of Free Will asserts that human beings belong to what is still a savage species with few inhibitions against harming one another, and that we cling to the idea of free will mainly because it purports to justify the escape and expression of this savagery. Following on from the success of The Nonsense of Free Will, The Cruelty of Free Will takes up where the earlier book left off. It sets to answer two questions - why - and how - does free will belief persist so stubbornly? Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781785899928
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