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paradox of freedom

a fundamental paradox that arises under assumptions of determinism in human behavior: Although specific behaviors can be attributed to specific antecedent causes, humans almost universally experience a sense of being free to perform or refrain from performing any given behavior at the point of action (see free will). Hard determinism resolves this paradox by insisting that the sense of free choice is illusory, whereas soft determinism argues that such a sense is not in fact incompatible with causal explanations.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

sociocultural deprivation

sociocultural deprivation

see psychosocial deprivation.