Beyond the Luck Problem: Addressing Discrimination in Event-Causal Libertarianism

Event-causal libertarians argue that free will requires indeterministic neural processes. This paper introduces a new problem with this theory via thought experiments involving agents who satisfy Robert Kane’s criterion of free will and moral responsibility to varying degrees. The paper argues that treating these agents differently based on the type of brain activity they exhibit constitutes unjust discrimination. This challenge is then extended to Mark Balaguer’s account. The paper also explores the similarities and differences between the luck problem and the newly introduced discrimination problem. To solve the luck problem, one must demonstrate that neural indeterminism is compatible with moral responsibility. To address the discrimination problem, one must show that neural indeterminism is not just compatible with, but necessary for moral responsibility.