What is hard determinism?

Hard determinism is a philosophical position that suggests that every event, including human actions and choices, is determined by causes external to the will. This means that every action and decision a person makes is the inevitable result of prior causes and conditions, and therefore, free will is an illusion.

According to hard determinism, everything that happens in the universe is the result of a chain of cause and effect that can be traced back to the beginning of time. This view of determinism is often associated with the idea of causal determinism, which is the belief that all events are determined by pre-existing causes and that there is no room for chance or randomness in the universe.

Some proponents of hard determinism argue that this perspective is not only a philosophical position, but also has important implications for ethics and morality. If human actions are determined by external factors beyond our control, then the traditional concepts of moral responsibility and accountability become problematic.

However, critics of hard determinism argue that it fails to account for the complexity of human behavior and decision-making processes. They argue that even if our actions are influenced by external factors, there is still a degree of agency and choice involved in decision-making that should not be overlooked.