The problem of free will and its origins in the ethics of Socrates

Yurasov Andrey

In the ethics of Socrates, probably for the first time in the history of philosophy, there are prerequisites for problematization of the relation of freedom and necessity. There are four key aspects of his philosophy: eudemonism, ethical intellectualism, perfectionism and the ethics of virtue. The main one with regard to the problem of free will is ethical intellectualism. If a person necessarily strives for the good and his virtuous actions are rigidly determined by the knowledge of the good, then the question arises about the possibility of free choice. The idea of choice underlies the principle of alternative possibilities which was also anticipated in Socratic ethics.

Keywords:Socrates, free will, compatibilism, ancient ethics, ethical intellectualism, principle of alternative possibilities