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Responsibility, Free Will, and the Concept of Basic Desert
1Department of Philosophy (GW), Salzburg University, Kapitelgasse 4-6, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
Philosophical Studies
|February 23, 2023
Summary
This study defines basically deserved blame, a key concept in free will and responsibility. It proposes that blame implies forfeiture of claims against being blamed and provides reasons for blame, offering a new perspective on skepticism.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Mind
- Ethics
- Metaphysics
Background:
- Philosophers often link free will and responsibility to 'basically deserved blame'.
- The precise nature of this 'basic desert' appraisal remains debated.
- Existing theories struggle to adequately define the conditions for basic desert claims.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the specific appraisal involved in basic desert claims.
- To evaluate current theories of desert appraisals against key desiderata.
- To propose and defend a novel account of basic desert.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of philosophical concepts related to free will and responsibility.
- Critique of existing theories based on three proposed desiderata.
- Development and defense of a new theoretical framework for basic desert.
Main Results:
- Recent theories of desert appraisals fail to meet essential criteria.
- Basic desert claims entail that individuals forfeit their right not to be blamed.
- Basic desert claims also entail that there are positive reasons to blame the individual.
Conclusions:
- The proposed account offers a robust framework for understanding basic desert.
- This view reframes the debate surrounding skepticism about free will and responsibility.
- It provides a clearer understanding of the conditions under which blame is fundamentally deserved.
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