Free Will & Determinism

The debate over whether human behaviour is the product of free choice or whether it is determined by forces beyond our control is one of the oldest and most fundamental in psychology. This debate has profound implications for moral responsibility, the legal system, and the practice of therapy.

Key Definition: Free will is the idea that human beings are self-determining and free to choose their own thoughts, feelings, and actions, without being controlled by internal or external forces.

Key Definition: Determinism is the view that all behaviour has a cause, and that every event — including human thought and action — is the inevitable result of preceding causes.

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Hard Determinism

Hard determinism holds that all human behaviour is caused by factors beyond our control, and that free will is an illusion. There is no room for personal choice — behaviour is entirely the product of prior causes.

Biological Determinism

This approach argues that behaviour is determined by biological structures and processes — genes, brain chemistry, hormones, and evolutionary adaptations.