... renders invalid the excuse that 'I was not free because God knew anyway how I was going to act'. With regard to human nature, there is widespread recognition that a number of factors do influence the level of our actual freedom in the world. These factors are more interlocking than separate, and fall under the headings of temptation and upbringing. Under the effects of temptation, the human will is said to be weakened sufficiently to leave people less than fully responsible for their actions. David Hume said that when reason and the passions are in conflict, the former always prevails. This has been recognised in religious terms by the doctrine of original sin, and philosophically by Martin Heidegger, who has argued that humans are naturally 'fallen'. This results in a fundamental state of human weakness that works against our freedom to act rationally. A second factor that may ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now