WJEC/Eduqas RS for A2/Yr2: Religion and Ethics (DRAFT)

T4 Determinism and free will

peers, etc. For example, a child may freely ‘will’ that they are attracted to someone of the same sex; however, because of parental, peer or societal pressures the child will bury away these ‘self-willed’ feelings. However, according to Rogers, a human being can regain their own ‘will’ by going down the path of self-actualisation . Self-actualisation basically involves human beings getting in touch with their own real feelings and acting on them. Rogers’ believed that this was a personal journey that was unique to the human being. As Rogers stated: ‘As no one else can know how we perceive, we are the best experts on ourselves.’ Rogers believed that if a human being can act on their own ‘willed’ feelings, the human being is then breaking the chains of determinism and expressing their free will. Rogers believed that it is only as human beings achieve freedom to be themselves that they can fulfil their potential and achieve the highest level of ‘human-beingness’. This means that self-actualisation occurs when a person’s ‘ ideal self ’ (i.e. who they would like to be) is congruent with their actual behaviour (self-image). Rogers describes an individual who has actualised as a fully functioning person. As Rogers stated: ‘The paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change for the better.’ Rogers believed that every person could achieve their goals, wishes, and desires in life, if they free themselves through the process of self-actualisation. Rogers called human beings, who were self-actualising, ‘fully functioning persons’. Rogers identified five characteristics of the fully functioning person: 1. Open to experience: both positive and negative experiences/emotions are accepted. Negative feelings are not denied, but worked through rather than resorting to predetermined defence mechanisms, e.g. accepting and freely analysing criticism rather than automatically rejecting criticism as a personal attack. 2. Existential living: avoiding predetermined prejudges and preconceptions. 3. Trust feelings: feeling, instincts and gut-reactions are paid attention to and trusted. People’s own decisions are the right ones and we should trust our own ‘free-willed’ choices. 4. Creativity: creative free thinking and risk taking are features of a human being’s life. A person does not play safe all the time, but seeks new experiences. 5. Fulfilled life: person is happy and satisfied with life, and always looking for new, freely chosen challenges and experiences. Therefore, Rogers’ self-actualised ‘fully functioning person’ is very much the based on libertarian principles. AO1 Activity Work in groups of three. Firstly, divide the three parts of libertarianism between you: 1. Philosophical libertarianism – Jean-Paul Sartre

Key terms Ideal self: who they would like to be is congruent with their actual behaviour Self-actualisation: involves the human being getting in touch with their own real feelings and acting on them Key quote The paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change for the better. (Rogers)

Carl Rogers DRAFT

4.26 What process, according to Rogers, do we have to go through to achieve free will?

2. Scientific libertarianism – Angela Sirigu 3. Psychological libertarianism – Carl Rogers

Key quote As no one else can know how we perceive, we are the best experts on ourselves. (Carl Rogers)

Each person then summarises their theory in no more than 75 words. Each person then presents their summary to the other two people in their group.

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