Freedom as Satisfaction? A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Standard

Freedom as Satisfaction? A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom. / Rostbøll, Christian Fogh.

In: Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2004, p. 131-146.

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Rostbøll, CF 2004, 'Freedom as Satisfaction? A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom', Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 131-146. <http://ej.lib.cbs.dk/index.php/sats/article/view/464/492>

APA

Rostbøll, C. F. (2004). Freedom as Satisfaction? A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom. Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy, 5(1), 131-146. http://ej.lib.cbs.dk/index.php/sats/article/view/464/492

Vancouver

Rostbøll CF. Freedom as Satisfaction? A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom. Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy. 2004;5(1):131-146.

Author

Rostbøll, Christian Fogh. / Freedom as Satisfaction? A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom. In: Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy. 2004 ; Vol. 5, No. 1. pp. 131-146.

Bibtex

@article{8175fc40afca11dcbee902004c4f4f50,
title = "Freedom as Satisfaction?: A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom",
abstract = "This article is a critical assessment of Harry Frankfurt's hierarchicaltheory of freedom. It spells out and distinguishes several different andirreconcilable conceptions of freedom present in Frankfurt's work. Iargue that Frankfurt is ambiguous in his early formulation as to whatconception of freedom of the will the hierarchical theory builds on,an avoidability or a satisfaction conception. This ambiguity causesproblems in his later attempts to respond to the objections of wantonnessof second-order desires and of infi nite regress. With his more recent ideaof freedom as being satisfi ed with harmony in one's entire volitionalsystem, Frankfurt may solve the infi nite regress objection but he doesso at the cost of ending up with a description of freedom, which comesvery close to being identical to his own description of the wanton.Frankfurt's account leaves open the question of whether the satisfactoryharmony is caused by the inability to do otherwise, or is independentof it. To answer this question, Frankfurt's hierarchical theory needs tobe complemented with a number of {"}autonomy variables{"} (Double).Satisfaction may be a necessary condition of freedom, but it is notsuffi cient. We also need to know how the person came to be satisfi ed.If being satisfi ed is merely something that happens to one, it fails tobe an adequate description of a free person - and it also contradictssome of Frankfurt's own earlier insights.",
author = "Rostb{\o}ll, {Christian Fogh}",
year = "2004",
language = "English",
volume = "5",
pages = "131--146",
journal = "SATS - Northern European Journal of Philosophy",
issn = "1600-1974",
publisher = "De Gruyter",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Freedom as Satisfaction?

T2 - A Critique of Frankfurt's Hierarchical Theory of Freedom

AU - Rostbøll, Christian Fogh

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - This article is a critical assessment of Harry Frankfurt's hierarchicaltheory of freedom. It spells out and distinguishes several different andirreconcilable conceptions of freedom present in Frankfurt's work. Iargue that Frankfurt is ambiguous in his early formulation as to whatconception of freedom of the will the hierarchical theory builds on,an avoidability or a satisfaction conception. This ambiguity causesproblems in his later attempts to respond to the objections of wantonnessof second-order desires and of infi nite regress. With his more recent ideaof freedom as being satisfi ed with harmony in one's entire volitionalsystem, Frankfurt may solve the infi nite regress objection but he doesso at the cost of ending up with a description of freedom, which comesvery close to being identical to his own description of the wanton.Frankfurt's account leaves open the question of whether the satisfactoryharmony is caused by the inability to do otherwise, or is independentof it. To answer this question, Frankfurt's hierarchical theory needs tobe complemented with a number of "autonomy variables" (Double).Satisfaction may be a necessary condition of freedom, but it is notsuffi cient. We also need to know how the person came to be satisfi ed.If being satisfi ed is merely something that happens to one, it fails tobe an adequate description of a free person - and it also contradictssome of Frankfurt's own earlier insights.

AB - This article is a critical assessment of Harry Frankfurt's hierarchicaltheory of freedom. It spells out and distinguishes several different andirreconcilable conceptions of freedom present in Frankfurt's work. Iargue that Frankfurt is ambiguous in his early formulation as to whatconception of freedom of the will the hierarchical theory builds on,an avoidability or a satisfaction conception. This ambiguity causesproblems in his later attempts to respond to the objections of wantonnessof second-order desires and of infi nite regress. With his more recent ideaof freedom as being satisfi ed with harmony in one's entire volitionalsystem, Frankfurt may solve the infi nite regress objection but he doesso at the cost of ending up with a description of freedom, which comesvery close to being identical to his own description of the wanton.Frankfurt's account leaves open the question of whether the satisfactoryharmony is caused by the inability to do otherwise, or is independentof it. To answer this question, Frankfurt's hierarchical theory needs tobe complemented with a number of "autonomy variables" (Double).Satisfaction may be a necessary condition of freedom, but it is notsuffi cient. We also need to know how the person came to be satisfi ed.If being satisfi ed is merely something that happens to one, it fails tobe an adequate description of a free person - and it also contradictssome of Frankfurt's own earlier insights.

M3 - Journal article

VL - 5

SP - 131

EP - 146

JO - SATS - Northern European Journal of Philosophy

JF - SATS - Northern European Journal of Philosophy

SN - 1600-1974

IS - 1

ER -

ID: 1952162