Guiding Questions

• Do humans truly have free will?

• If our actions are caused by biology or environment, are we still responsible?

• Can there be justice without freedom of choice?

The Dilemma of Free Will

Justice often assumes we choose our actions freely — and must accept the consequences.

But what if our “choices” are shaped by:

• Childhood trauma

• Brain chemistry

• Social environment

• Cultural conditioning

• Unconscious bias?

If everything is caused, is anything chosen?

Justice and Responsibility

The legal system depends on personal responsibility.

It punishes those who “freely” choose to harm others.

But if free will is an illusion, what happens to:

• Guilt?

• Punishment?

• Rehabilitation?

• Moral praise and blame?

Is it just to punish someone for something they couldn’t help but do?

Philosophical Perspectives

Baruch Spinoza

Believed that all events, including human actions, are determined by natural laws. Free will is an illusion created by ignorance of causes.

Jean-Paul Sartre

Argued the opposite: humans are radically free and must take full responsibility for every choice — even doing nothing is a choice.

Immanuel Kant

Claimed that freedom is necessary for moral law. We must assume we are free in order to act ethically.

B.F. Skinner (Behaviorist psychologist)

Believed that behavior is entirely shaped by environment and conditioning. Responsibility should be replaced by designing better systems.

Two Perspectives

Determinism

All actions are caused by prior events. Freedom is an illusion. Justice must focus on prevention, not punishment.

Libertarian Free Will

People have real agency. They can be held morally and legally responsible for what they do.

A Thought Experiment

A person grows up in extreme poverty and violence.

At 18, they commit a serious crime.

Question:

Did they truly “choose” their path?

Or was it chosen for them — by factors beyond their control?

Can justice distinguish between explanation and excuse?

Justice and Free Will: Possible Reforms

• Sentencing that considers personal history and social context

• Restorative justice: focus on healing, not blame

• Psychological evaluation in courts

• Better mental health and social services as crime prevention

• Redefining justice as fairness, not just punishment

Reflect and Discuss

• Do you feel you are free to choose your actions?

• Can people who were “programmed” by trauma be held fully responsible?

• Should the justice system focus more on healing than on blame?

Suggested Readings

• Sam Harris – Free Will

• Jean-Paul Sartre – Existentialism is a Humanism

• B.F. Skinner – Beyond Freedom and Dignity

• Immanuel Kant – Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals

• Susan Wolf – Sanity and the Metaphysics of Responsibility