Title: What is the difference between determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism? - Quora
Headings: What is the difference between determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism?
What is the difference between determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism?
Alex Baker
Bruce Silverstein
Bruce Silverstein

Content: These three concepts are the subject of numerous books and other papers written by ancient, classical and modern philosophers, theologians, scientists and other great thinkers, and can hardly be explained in any meaningful detail in a Quora answer. Nonetheless, for whatever it may be worth, I offer the following high level summary. Determinism (also known as “Causal Determinism”) is a metaphysical paradigm that posits that all activity in the universe is both (i) the effect of [all] prior activity, and (i
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What are the differences in the concepts of determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism? These three concepts are the subject of numerous books and other papers written by ancient, classical and modern philosophers, theologians, scientists and other great thinkers, and can hardly be explained in any meaningful detail in a Quora answer. Nonetheless, for whatever it may be worth, I offer the following high level summary. Determinism (also known as “Causal Determinism”) is a metaphysical paradigm that posits that all activity in the universe is both (i) the effect of [all] prior activity, and (ii) the only activity that can occur given the prior activity. That is what is meant by saying that everything is “determined” — it is the inexorable consequence of activity that preceded it. In a deterministic universe, everything that has ever occurred, is occurring, and will occur since the universe came into existence (however that might have occurred) can only occur exactly as it has occurred, is occurring, or will occur, and cannot possibly occur in any different manner. Determinists believe that the universe is, in fact, deterministic. Libertarianism is a metaphysical paradigm that accepts Incompatibilism and also posits that Free Will exists in its pure form (which logically necessitates a belief that Causal Determinism is false).