Understanding Free Will vs Determinism – How can we know we have free will?Gaining an understanding of this timeless philosophical problem is our main objective.

Introduction:

George Saunders’ “Escape from Spiderhead” is a dystopian short story that portrays acontrolled pharmacological environment in which scientists experimentally manipulatethe desires and emotions of human subjects. We are confronted with the questionwhether the chemical cocktails produced by our brains grant greater freedom thanSpiderhead. Sanders’ riveting story is thought-provoking and challenges us to probe thetopic of free will and determinism.

Overarching Question:

● How does the story reinforce your preferred position on free will? How canthe story challenge your preferred position on free will? Explain.

Brief Definition of Positions on Free Will:

● Hard Determinism – People’s actions are causally necessitated and theiractions are therefore unfree.

● Compatiblism – Although all actions are caused, people act with free will andare morally responsible whenever they are not constrained or forced toperform the action.

● Deep Compatiblism – People are free only if only if they act on desires theytruly want to act on (i.e., desires that move people are genuinely “their own”).

● Libertarianism – People’s actions are not causally necessitated. People havespecial powers to cause their actions and are morally responsible for theirchoices.

1. Why does Jeff participate in Abnesti’s project at Spiderhead? Has he chosento participate?

2. Thanks to Verbaluce, Jeff is able to wax poetic about loving Heather. Herefers to his deepest longing fulfilled? Does Jeff love Heather? If not, how isgenuine love different from what Jeff experiences? Abnesti says, “Saysomeone can’t love? Now he or she can.” Does the project at Spiderheadsupport Abnesti’s claim?

3. Why does Abnesti tell Jeff to make a decision whether Rachel or Heathershould get Darkenfloxx? What is Jeff’s decision? Does he make it freely?Explain.

4. What was Jeff’s fateful night? In what sense was it “fateful”?5. How does Jeff “doink with [Abnesti’s] experimental design integrity”?

6. Why does Jeff feel “a little jerked around”?7. Does Jeff freely participate in the Confirmation Trial? The test reveals that he

no longer feels any romantic love toward Heather. Verlaine says that he’sshowing “just pretty much basic human feeling.” What is the differencebetween feelings that belong to Jeff and those s(t)imulated by the study?

8. Saying “acknowledge” implies permission, but why would it be misleading tocall this consent?

9. Does Jeff choose his fate at the end of the story? Is it completely up to him?

Please choose one or more of these questions to formulate an essay formattedresponse to the broader theme of free will and determinism. Your response should beno less than 4.5 double-spaced pages that include specific references to the story.

Read this story to do it

FICTION ESCAPE FROM SPIDERHEAD BY GEORGE SAUNDERS