Robert Blatchford's argument that free will is an environmental delusion

Delusion of Freewilll

The Delusion of Freewill

In life, one of the most fundamental philosophies is the idea of freewill. This is when each person has the ability to make their own choices that will support or hurt them in the future. Robert Blatchford (1994) believes that free will is based upon the environment and hereditary factors. They will shape how a person reacts to the atmosphere around them and the way they are interpreting a host of events. (Blatchford, 1994)

To fully understand how this taking place requires: carefully examining the main ideas from Blatchford and if these arguments can be easily supported or refuted. These elements will offer specific insights which are illustrating if his beliefs can be supported or refuted. This is when these insights can be used to offer a greater understanding of freewill. (Blatchford, 1994)

The Main Ideas from Robert Blatchford

Like what was stated previously, Blatchford believed that free will is directly linked to hereditary and environmental factors. This is achieved through him highlighting a number of areas which are supporting his views. The most notable include: humankind's choices are not considered to be free and there are settlements reached when determining options. These variables work in conjunction with each other to influence how the individual responds. (Blatchford, 1994)

Humankind's Choices are not considered to be Free

Humankind's choices are not considered to be free decisions. This is because many of them will involve some kind of tradeoff. These variables will influence the person's thought process, as they want to move in a direction towards reaching their objectives and reducing the amounts of stress they are feeling. The result is that the individual's temperament and emotions will play a role in the process. In this case, freewill is considered to be a delusion. This is because there is a shift in actions. They are based upon what benefits someone receives the most through a series of tradeoffs. As they will forgo something in order to receive a much greater reward in the future. (Blatchford, 1994)

There are Settlements Reached when Determining Choices

Settlements are reached when there is a compromise between the person's desire and their conscience. This is where their desires will influence what they want the most and how they can go about achieving it. While their conscience, is the morals and ethics they learn from their experiences / others around them. This helps them to have a sense of following the most acceptable practices in order to receive the best outcomes. In this situation, they will balance these factors against one another to determine the appropriate course of action. As a result, freewill is a delusion as there is nothing free about what is happening. Instead, it is the choices that are made, based upon individual wants and morals that will influence these actions. (Blatchford, 1994)

The Support of these Arguments

The arguments that are provided by Blatchford are designed to show those variables which influence someone's decisions. This is called freewill. Yet, underneath it all, they are motivated to engage in specific actions based upon their own self-interest. This is taking place, with a person using their sense of values and wants / desires to determine the most appropriate decisions. (Blatchford, 1994)

For instance, Blatchford argues that these variables will work in conjunction with each other to create a sense of direction and understanding. This is taking place through using them to influence the way specific stimuli is interpreted. When this happens, the person will instantaneously decide how they will achieve these objectives. Further evidence of this can be seen with observations from Robbins (1991). He found human behavior is motivated by the desire to move away from pain and gain pleasure. During this process, everyone's wants, needs, desires and morals will play an important role. (Blatchford, 1994) (Robbins, 1991)

For example, when someone decides what kinds of products to purchase; they will buy because of their perceptions of a firm. This is based upon if their practices are in compliance with their ethical thinking and they are offering a product the customer wants. At the same time, the person has to feel good about making the right decision. This means that many of the benefits are highlighted to show how happy it will make them feel in the process. When this takes place, they will more than likely purchase a specific product over a competitor. (Blatchford, 1994) (Robbins, 1991)