24.221: Metaphysics
Prof. Sally Haslanger
April 23, 2003
Fifth Homework Assignment
Provide short answers in your own words to the following questions based
on your reading of Frankfurt’s “Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a
Person” (in Free Will, pp. 81-95).
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on: 4/30/03
No late assignments will be accepted.
1. a) What are “first-order desires”? Give an example.
b) What are “second-order desires”? Give an example.
2. Frankfurt suggests that he will use the term “will” in a special
way (84). What does he mean by “will” or “someone’s will”?
3. What does Frankfurt mean by a “second-order volition” (86)?
4. What is the difference, on Frankfurt’s view, between a person
and a wanton?
5. On Frankfurt’s account, under what conditions can we say that
someone has freewill? Is Frankfurt’s account compatible with determinism?
(Explain why or why not in your answer.)