return to list of latest ideas

Single Idea 21053

[catalogued under 16. Persons / F. Free Will / 2. Sources of Free Will]

Full Idea

Whatever conception of the freedom of the will one may form in terms of metaphysics, the will's manifestations in the world of phenomena, i.e. human actions, are determined in accordance with natural laws, as is every other natural event.

Gist of Idea

The manifest will in the world of phenomena has to conform to the laws of nature

Source

Immanuel Kant (Idea for a Universal History [1784], Intro)

A Reaction

So free will either requires total substance dualism, or it is best described as transcendental fictionalism. This seems to imply the Leibnizian idea that metaphysics contains facts which having nothing to do with the physical world.

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Political Writings', ed/tr. Reiss,Hans [CUP 1996], p.41