Free Will, Determinism, and Criminology: A Metatheoretical Analysis

• In Event: Measuring Criminology: Impact and Perspective

Abstract

In the 1980s, the sociologist George Ritzer identified a sub-field of sociology called metatheorizing, which involves the systematic study of theories and their underlying assumptions. This sub-field has received little attention in criminology; however, in recent years there has been increasing discussion of the various assumptions that underlie criminological theories (Agnew, 2011; Walsh, 2014). This paper will trace the development of assumptions about determinism and free will in criminology with a special focus on contemporary theories of criminal behavior. The assumptions made by these modern criminological theories will then be compared to recent findings about free will and determinism from philosophy, psychology, the neurosciences, and quantum physics. Insights generated by this analysis will be useful for informing future attempts at theory building and integrating theories in criminology.

Author

• Jon Heidt, University of the Fraser Valley