“But Cave’s ultimate conclusion is worth reiterating, as it corresponds closely with the premises that motivate The Situationist and the scholarship of its contributors (among many others): ‘[T]here is no doubt that as we learn more about the mechanics of the mind, we will need to rethink some of our deepest beliefs about ourselves and our society.’”

Exactly right, and I’m glad to have discovered the Situationist. As philosophers such as Joshua Greene, Derk Pereboom and Ted Honderich argue, there might be considerable ramifications for criminal justice once the idea of contra-causal free will is abandoned. In the article, Cave writes that

“Derk Pereboom recognizes that our lack of free will means we need to rethink morality – but sees this as no bad thing. It would, he suggests, lead to sensible reforms, such as shifting the focus of the criminal justice system away from retributive punishment and towards re-education and deterrence – or towards protecting society.”

More generally, as Galen Strawson put it in TLS back in 1998, “How might we be changed by dwelling intensely on the view that ultimate responsibility is impossible?”

Thanks for what you’re doing, extremely important stuff.

Tom Clark
Center for Naturalism
http://www.naturalism.org