Join us for the highly anticipated Passmore Lectures from Professor Pamela Hieronymi (UCLA). 

Lecture 1 Abstract

In "Problems in Life and a Problem in Theory," Professor Hieronymi delineates philosophical concerns about free will into two categories: "problems in life" and "a problem in theory." The former encompasses hindrances, interferences, constraints on thought or action, as well as damage to or defects in the capacity to think and act. These "problems in life" can, in principle, always be avoided—by eliminating the hindrance, interference, constraint, defect, or damage, freedom is restored.

In contrast, "the problem in theory" emerges when considering the underlying factors that explain the ordinary operation of human agency. This theoretical problem leads to the perception that humans are not free, as one cannot simply avoid the fundamental underpinnings of their actions to restore freedom. Professor Hieronymi posits that this theoretical problem stems from what is termed "the ordinary notion of control." Ordinary control involves bringing something to be as one intends, with a structure comprising an intention and its successful execution. However, individuals do not control their own intentions in this ordinary manner; they do not shape their intentions by first deciding how they want them to be and then making them so. Consequently, if control is only understood in this ordinary sense, it seems that individuals do not control their own intentions, and thus, do not genuinely control the outcomes they achieve according to their intentions. This leads to a limited freedom, akin to the mechanistic operation of a turnspit or a thermostat.

Professor Hieronymi argues that traditional methods cannot resolve this deep-seated theoretical problem. One could appeal to transcendental mystery, accept a limited form of control comparable to a thermostat's, or develop a broader notion of control. The professor concludes by suggesting a method for this latter approach: by appealing to the type of control individuals exert over their own responses to questions.

Professor Hieronymi will also be hosting another Lecture on Thursday 22 August 2024 at 3.30pm. More information on this Lecture can be found here.

About the Speaker

Pamela Hieronymi is a Professor of Philosophy at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), specialising in ethics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of action. She is currently addressing the problem of free will and moral responsibility in her manuscript, "Minds that Matter." Professor Hieronymi also served as a consultant for NBC’s sitcom, The Good Place.