Historically there have been two main freewill problems, the problem of freedom versus predestination, which is mainly theological, and the problem of freedom versus determinism, which has exercised the minds of many of the great modern philosophers. The latter problem is seldom stated in full detail, for its elements are taken as so obvious that they do not need to be stated. The problem is seen as an attempt to reconcile the belief in human freedom, which is essential if men are to be able to act morally, with determinism, the belief that every event is fully determined in all its details by the sum of its precedent causes. But even the meticulous Moore does not trouble to explore at length what is meant by determinism. He devotes one very short paragraph to the matter, and sums it up immediately afterwards as the view that ‘everything … has a cause’.
A quantitative assessment of the subjective and objective responses to caffeine, secobarbital (quinalbarbitone), thiopropazate, and a placebo has been carried out in normal subjects. The order of administration of the drugs was randomized, but the actions of the drugs were explained to the subiects. The subiects were asked to describe the effects of the drugs and to assess which drug they had received on each occasion. It was found that there was an association between the actions of the drugs and the subiects' opinions about which drugs they thought they had received. When they guessed correctly, they responded to it vigorously; where they guessed incorrectly, the effects of the drug were partially 01' completely inhibited. The implications of this observation are discussed. The percentage of placebo reactors was within the normal range, arul it is suggested that their symptoms may be related to the stress induced at the beginning of the experiment.
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