Free Will V. Determinism: Exploring The Idea Through George Orwell’s 1984
- IJLLR Journal
- Jun 29
- 1 min read
Yashika Dhir, BA LLB, UPES, Dehradun
ABSTRACT
The concept of free will has been central in the study of criminology, from the 18th century Beccaria to contemporary world ‘mens rea’. Free will plays an important role in determining the liability of a criminal. However, free will remains a matter of huge debate. The Positivist school, sociological school, and the concept of determinism challenge the notions of free will. They emphasis the presence of alternative factors such as the physical traits of Positivist school and the environment factor of Sociological School. Also, Determinism suggests that there is a cause-and-effect relationship that results in a particular behavior in an individual. Hence, challenging the notion of free will. The determinism concerns itself with the ideas of genetics, experiences and the environment of a person shaping their behavior. It also emphasis more on rehabilitation than retribution as against the advocates of free will.
