|
Well, I think that's exactly the difference. It might be true that 'in effect' there is no distinction, but I'm not sure that that's relevant. You've noticed, I'm sure, that there's a difference between how we treat free will as a matter of law and how we treat it as a matter of morality. That's because free will is not exactly an observable phenomenon -- an act can look free, but not actually be free, and vice versa. What we're concerned with in this thread is whether or not an act is actually free. So we're allowed to presuppose special knowledge that we would not, practically speaking, ever have.
__________________
"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."
"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
|