INDECS, Vol. 24 No. 2, 2026.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.7906/indecs.24.2.2
A Note on Determinism and Deliberation
Davor Pećnjak
; Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Zvonimir Anić
; University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
In this article, we take metaphysical standpoint and examine what would be the consequences for deliberation if the thesis of determnism is true and if libertarianism is true. We take that deliberation is an active rather than passive process. We try to show that if determinism is true, than there is no, in fact, anything like deliberation. Moreover, if determinism is true, subjects cannot not to enter their chain of thoughts, if it is determined by initial states and laws of nature. Under determinism, any event, so any chain of thoughts as well, is fully determined, as well as there is the only one determined outcome of such a chain. If libertarianism is true, then one who thinks that determinism is true can deliberate in fact, although he is wrong about the metaphysical structure of his world. We explore some other details as well.
Keywords
deliberation; determinism; free will; libertarianism
Hrčak ID:
345586
URI
Publication date:
20.3.2026.
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