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'''Compatibilism''' is the belief that there is no conflict between the ideas of [[free will]] and [[determinism]].  In other words, it is possible for all our actions to be determined by natural forces, and for us to have a meaningfully free will.  They base this belief on a particular definition of "free will" -- to them, an action is "free" if it is not ''forced'' upon a person by compulsion outside the actor.  [[Incompatibilism|Incompatibilists]], by contrast, define an action as "free" if it is ''independent of prior physical cause'', and conclude that if everything has a physical cause, then nothing is free, and therefore that free will and determinism are incompatible.

'''Compatibilism''' is the belief that there is no conflict between the ideas of [[free will]] and [[determinism]].  In other words, it is possible for all our actions to be determined by natural forces, and for us to have a meaningfully free will.  They base this belief on a particular definition of "free will" -- to them, an action is "free" if it is not ''forced'' upon a person by compulsion outside the actor.  When an act is caused solely physical causes but is not ''coerced'', compatibilists conclude that the action was both "free" and "determined."

 

[[Incompatibilism|Incompatibilists]], by contrast, define an action as "free" if it is ''independent of prior physical cause'', and conclude that if everything has a physical cause, then nothing is free, and therefore that free will and determinism are incompatible.

[[Category:Philosophy]]

[[Category:Philosophy]]