Freedom from two Perspectives: Strawson and Pereboom

Abstract

I will focus on what I believe is an interesting way to regard the tension between the theories of two influential authors on the subject of free will: P.F. Strawson and Derk Pereboom. These two philosophers signifying two major trends in the discourse on free will. I propose a way of looking at the discussion between these two thinkers based on varying levels of description, using work of Thomas Nagel. In line with Thomas Nagel, I will try to explain the discord between Strawson and Pereboom as stemming from essentially different assumptions about how we should perceive ourselves in this world as we engage in philosophy.