We have here the beginning—but only the beginning—of the programme of compatibilism, or the attempt to show that, properly understood, there is no inconsistency between acknowledging determinism and our practices of holding people responsible for their actions. Compatibilism is sometimes called ‘soft’ determinism, in opposition to ‘hard’ determinism. This is not a very good label for two reasons.
In other words, between determinism and free will and therefore being able to hold people accountable for their actions.
