Ayer Exercise

Integrative Studies 250
Philosophy of Human Nature

Fall Quarter 2001

Questions for Ayer, "Freedom and Necessity"

Instructions: Think about your assigned question, and write out an answer. It need not be a perfect paragraph, but it should be more than a note or two. Then, when you are asked to do so, gather together in your groups and discuss your answers. Arrive at a consensus answer and write it down. This should be legible, as you will turn it in to Prof. Mills at the end of class.

1. Ayer gives a number of examples of constrained acts.

(a) What are his examples?

(b) What do the examples have in common? That is, attempt to characterize what features of an act make it a constrained act, and what distinguishes a constrained act from an unconstrained act.

2. We want to say that at least some of an agent’s acts are free so that we can hold he agent morally responsible for those acts. Explain Ayer’s argument on pp. 112-13 that someone with this view cannot deny the claim that human behavior is governed entirely by causal laws.

3. Does the fact that your action might be predicted with as high a degree of accuracy as you could demand threaten the freedom of those acts? What’s Ayer’s view? What’s your view? Give reasons for your position.

4. A man puts a gun to my head and threatens me into doing something. He does not move my limbs for me or hypnotize me. I can disobey him (and suffer the consequences) if I want to. Why is this a case of constraint, according to Ayer? Do you agree that this is a case of constraint? Why or why not?

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