Discussions With Dualists

Discussions with Dualists

Originally Submitted by emil10001 on Wed, 11/17/2010 - 15:27

I am planning on writing a paper about how to have a constructive conversation with a Dualist, on the topic of Free Will. I have read several papers from experimental philosophy that suggest that the intuitions of common people are that of the Dualist Libertarian position. I think the best way to describe myself would be a Phsyicalist and as a Compatibilist (if Determinism were true). I would like to have a discussion with some Libertarian Dualists with the goal of trying to figure out how best to have a constructive discussion.

I know a couple of seminary students who have agreed to sit down with me and have a discussion. I have been warned by my professor that there is a danger that I may not find the answers that they provide to be satisfying. He thinks that there is a good chance that it is either something that they haven’t really given much thought to, or that they just won’t be able to provide good answers. My response to this issue is that the purpose of my paper is not to have them answer my questions, instead, the purpose is to try to figure out the best way of discussing the topic, and to see if we can move the discussion forward a bit. He said that I might be ok having that as a goal.

I have written up an outline (pdf).