Questions
Topic : Explain Ayer’s compatibilism. Would Ayer think that the Deltas and Epsilons of Brave New World have
free will? Do you agree with Ayer’s view on this? Justify your answers.
NOTE: You can assume that we know the story of Brave New World – you do not have to explain anything about the Deltas or the Epsilons. You can find the story of the Deltas and Epsilons in van Inwagen’s reading on The Problem of Evil.
Instruc
Write a 400-500 word blog on the topic. As with most blogs, the writing is meant to be informal and get straight to the point. Your task will be to explain the issue, and then to write your own personal take on it. This can either be in support of or contrary to the position. Your target
audience are your peers – other university students who have an interest in philosophy but are not experts on the field. Look to use up around ½ of the space clearly explaining Ayer’s position on free will. The remaining ½ should be a clear explanation of your own thoughts on how you think Ayer would react to the Deltas and Epsilons, and whether or not you agree with Ayer. Do
not simply state that you agree or not – you must explain why. The best responses will be clear, focused, and charitable to the authors regardless of whether or not you agree or disagree.
Answer
Contents
Thoughts on Ayer’s Position on Deltas and Epsilons. 3
Introduction
Compatibilism refers to a thesis whereby the free will is compatible with determinism. Since free will is generally acknowledged as fundamental circumstances of moral responsibility, compatibilism is occasionally considered a thesis on the compatibility between determinism and moral responsibility. According to Ayer, free will refers to a situation where individuals are morally held responsible for their actions. People have the unique ability to exercise control over their behavior in a way that is imperative with their moral responsibilities.
Morally responsible individuals are not those people who do what is morally right or wrong but are accountable for their conducts. Free will is supposed to be an essentialaspect of moral responsibility because it is unreasonable to blame and punishindividuals for actions that they were not in control of when doing. Issues regarding reward and praise are also viewed in regard to the free will of a person. People cannot be held accountable for activities that were not in their power to avoid.
Ayer agreed with the universal assumption that human beings can perform freely and held morally responsible and that their behavior are governed entirely by causal laws. However, the apparent conflicting assumptions between free will and causal laws bring the philosophical problem of acting on free will. When a person has the chance of doing something in one way and not the other, they can be regarded as free but cannot be held responsible for what they do. Ayer argued that free will has two alternatives; the first one is that people’s choice can eitherbe accidentally or causally determined by taking moral responsibility for their actions.
Thoughts on Ayer’s Position on Deltas and Epsilons
‘The Brave New World’ is based on a fictional future where individuality and free will are sacrificed to bring social stability. In my opinion, Ayer would consider the Deltas and Epsilons as lacking free will. This is because the society where the Deltas and Epsilons live in is based on a caste system under a benevolent dictatorship where free will is not practiced. I think that this utopian society where people are divided into five classes and made to act in a certain way cannot be compatible with Ayer’s position on free will and individuality. I agree with the view of Ayer on Deltas and Epsilons since, in this society, people are taught while asleep. The teachings are not based on facts or analysis but are projected to control their behavior such as sex, which is viewed as a source of happiness and a game people can play with anyone.
I think that since knowledge of people on history is limited in this society, I would agree with Ayer in considering them to be lacking free will to compare the present and therefore predict the future. The Deltas and Epsilons are deemed to have no feelings, and hence according to Ayer, they cannot be held morally responsible for their actions. The emotion of the Deltas and Epsilons is controlled by a drug called soma and not their feelings. In a rational society, people belong in a particular social class based on how they make their own decisions on career, investment and even social relationships. However, in the ‘Brave New World’, people are born and placed in a particular social class like the Deltas and Epsilons who belong to the lower class. Ayer’s view that the Deltas and Epsilons are not in a position to act on their free will or take responsibility unless they are assigned on is true.