P.F. Strawson: "Freedom and Resentment"

About this Video

• Video Title: P.F. Strawson: "Freedom and Resentment"
• Channel: Simon Cushing
• Speakers: Simon Cushing
• Duration: 00:49:24

Introduction

This video discusses P.F. Strawson's influential philosophy article, "Freedom and Resentment." The speaker analyzes the article's impact on the debate between compatibilists and incompatibilists regarding free will and determinism, highlighting its significant contribution to the study of reactive attitudes and moral sentiments.

Key Takeaways

• Strawson's article had two periods of influence: Initially focused on the free will debate, it later gained prominence for its exploration of reactive attitudes.
• Reactive attitudes, such as resentment, are crucial to understanding moral responsibility. Resentment arises when someone believes they've been wronged and are owed goodwill, violating what's called the "basic demand." This highlights the importance of human response rather than solely focusing on the actor's actions.
• Strawson critiques compatibilist justifications for punishment, arguing against forward-looking concerns like deterrence and rehabilitation. He supports retributivism, where punishment is deserved due to wrongdoing, even if determinism is true.
• Strawson distinguishes between excusing and exempting conditions: Excusing conditions (accidents) temporarily suspend resentment but maintain the individual's moral agency. Exempting conditions (insanity) remove the individual from the moral community, justifying a different response.
• Strawson argues that determinism's truth or falsehood doesn't change human practice. He suggests that our reactive attitudes—emotional responses—are integral to our understanding and practice of moral responsibility and cannot be easily altered by philosophical arguments.