Single Idea 23668

[catalogued under 16. Persons / F. Free Will / 4. For Free Will]

Full Idea

Every man is led by nature to attribute to himself the free determination of his own will, and to believe those events to be in his power which depend upon his will.

Gist of Idea

Our own nature attributes free determinations to our own will

Source

Thomas Reid (Essays on Active Powers 1: Active power [1788], 5)

Book Reference

Reid,Thomas: 'Inquiry and Essays', ed/tr. Beanblossom /K.Lehrer [Hackett 1983], p.306


A Reaction

I'm happy to say we are all responsible for those actions which are caused by the conscious decisions of our own will (our mental decision mechanisms), but personally I would drop the word 'free', which adds nothing. We are not 'ultimately' responsible.