The Folk Concept(s) of Choice

Aneyn O'Grady and I have new research on the folk concept of choice that was recently published in Consciousness and Cognition, What kinds of alternatives are required for the folk concept(s) of choice. I thought that the research may be of interest to readers here. We would love to hear your thoughts.

Abstract

Our concept of choice is integral to the way we understand others and ourselves, especially when considering ourselves as free and responsible agents. Despite the importance of this concept, there has been little empirical work on it. In this paper we report four experiments that provide evidence for two concepts of choice—namely, a concept of choice that is operative in the phrase having a choice and another that is operative in the phrase making a choice. The experiments indicate that the two concepts of choice can be differentiated from each other on the basis of the kind of alternatives to which each is sensitive. The results indicate that the folk concept of choice is more nuanced than has been assumed. This new, empirically informed understanding of the folk concept of choice has important implications for debates concerning free will, responsibility, and other debates spanning psychology and philosophy.

Specifically, 'having a choice' appears to require genuinely open alternatives, or alternative possibilities that are actually realizable, while 'making a choice' appears to only require psychological open alternatives, or the ability to consider alternatives independent of whether these alternatives are actually realizable. We argue that these findings are relevant to the free will debate because choice is central to the folk concept of free will and many philosophical analysis of free will. The kinds of alternatives required for having a choice appear to be incompatibilist in nature, while the kinds of alternatives required for making a choice appear to be compatibilist in nature. If free will requires having choices, then this is perhaps evidence against compatibilism. If free will requires making choices, then this is perhaps evidence in favor of--or at least consistent with--compatibilism. 

 

Comments

[Eddy Nahmias]

Great work Jason and Aneyn! Not surprisingly, I'm inclined to say that most people associate the 'making a choice' concept with free will and responsibility more than the 'having a choice' concept, but there's lots more interesting work to be done here.

If it helps motivate the philosophers to take a look at the paper, I'll note that studies 4 and 5 use Frankfurt cases (with manipulated choice versions).

[Jason Shepard]

Thanks!

I am also inclined to think that most people associate making a choice with free will. I think the publish research suggest this, but more work definitely needs to be done. am sure our incompatibilist friends have a very different take, though! ;)