In both moral and legal decisions we hold people responsible for their deliberate actions. This practice seems justified as long as people are free to make the choices that they do. But what criteria must a decision meet in order to qualify as free? Clearly, a free decision must not be the result of external coercion. But must the decision also be free from any outside influence at all? If so then freedom may seem impossible, for we are all deeply influenced by external factors ranging from the general laws of nature to specific features of our genetic endowment and social environment, including religion, political ideology, and advertising. These affect not only our particular choices but also, more fundamentally, who we are and what we value. Since it is undeniable that we are pervasively influenced by such outside forces, the question to ask is whether, and how, free choice is possible amidst all of these influences. In this course we will examine the best-known philosophical attempts to make sense of the nature of free will and responsibility. Since these questions have a direct bearing on which theory of legal punishment we should accept, we will spend the final few weeks of the course examining theories of legal desert and punishment. If there is time, we may also look at some recent feminist work on the notion of autonomy. Format: tutorial. Requirements: students meet with the instructor in pairs for roughly an hour each week; each students will write a 5- to 6-page paper every other week (6 in all) and comment on their tutorial partner's paper in alternate weeks. Emphasis will be placed on developing skills in reading, interpretation and oral argument as well as critical reasoning and writing. Prerequisite: Philosophy 101 or 102, or permission by the instructor. Enrollment limit: 10 (expected: 10). Preference will be given to current majors, prospective majors, and students committed to taking the tutorial.