Is there such a thing as free will?
- Thread starter Tamsanity
- Start date
( why isn't there a maybe pick 
)
Well free will would imply I could do anything I want. Which means I could kill someone if I so desire. Free will in its self truly does not exist which is why we have some sort of over ruling government. Depending on your government you have more freedoms and natural rights that could called "free will" but that free will has limits based upon morals of the community we have build as a species.
Edit: I could explain more in depth and such in need be
)Well free will would imply I could do anything I want. Which means I could kill someone if I so desire. Free will in its self truly does not exist which is why we have some sort of over ruling government. Depending on your government you have more freedoms and natural rights that could called "free will" but that free will has limits based upon morals of the community we have build as a species.
Edit: I could explain more in depth and such in need be
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Personally I believe we don't have any way to define whether or not free will actually does exist,
We made decisions on a daily basis and as I'm typing this I'm deciding to type this, but that doesn't absolutely mean that I'm choosing to do so out of my own personal desire. Things like this really interest me because there's something so cosmic about this sort of concept, and I love hearing other opinions about it.
I would like to think I'm making my own decisions, but isn't that what every human wants? To take responsibility for your actions that cause good outcomes, to be a distinct individual with your own interests and your own personality.
But shouldn't we be humble to the point that we acknowledge the fact that we're human beings? We don't have the ability to know all there is, and we have to understand that in order to surrender our own beliefs in order to accept external prompts..
We made decisions on a daily basis and as I'm typing this I'm deciding to type this, but that doesn't absolutely mean that I'm choosing to do so out of my own personal desire. Things like this really interest me because there's something so cosmic about this sort of concept, and I love hearing other opinions about it.
I would like to think I'm making my own decisions, but isn't that what every human wants? To take responsibility for your actions that cause good outcomes, to be a distinct individual with your own interests and your own personality.
But shouldn't we be humble to the point that we acknowledge the fact that we're human beings? We don't have the ability to know all there is, and we have to understand that in order to surrender our own beliefs in order to accept external prompts..
"You deserve very little credit for being what you are - and remember, the people who come to you irritated, bigoted, unreasoning, deserve very little discredit for being what they are. Feel sorry for the poor devils. Pity them. Sympathize with them. Say
to yourself: "There, but for the grace of God, go I" " - Dale Carnegie, How to win friends and influence people ."
I think the official verdict is still out as far as Psychology is concerned, As far as im personally concerned every decision we make is influenced by our interaction with other people and the experience we draw from past-decisions. Yes im free to make a decision but there is no doubt that the decision I make is influenced by my past - both interactions with friends and strangers, my upbringing, past experiences with decisions. And that a certain set of decisions brought me to this stage.
Even if i were to approach a decisions critically and weigh cons/pros in a structured manner - I learnt to approach such a decision critically because of my past experiences or influences, and even then - the pros/cons will be weighted based on other past experiences/influences.
One fun perspective is that, You'd imagine due to there being no true randomness (outside of - potentially - 'Quantum Randomness'), this would validate the idea that there is no free will - only a outcome dictated by a cocktail of experiences/influences that - due to the complex nature of the influences & how they effect each other, is seemingly unpredictable. Another fun fact that could also validate that is - you'd note it is possible to guess someones decision when you know enough of the experiences/influences. For example I know that Baker93 would most likely be very angry if i punched him, because of personal experiences (Seeing fights occur, being in fights, upbringing, television, society tabboo on fighting etc.etc.).
Or quite simply to quote one of my favorite games & quotes -
'We all make choices, but in the end our choices make us'
to yourself: "There, but for the grace of God, go I" " - Dale Carnegie, How to win friends and influence people ."
I think the official verdict is still out as far as Psychology is concerned, As far as im personally concerned every decision we make is influenced by our interaction with other people and the experience we draw from past-decisions. Yes im free to make a decision but there is no doubt that the decision I make is influenced by my past - both interactions with friends and strangers, my upbringing, past experiences with decisions. And that a certain set of decisions brought me to this stage.
Even if i were to approach a decisions critically and weigh cons/pros in a structured manner - I learnt to approach such a decision critically because of my past experiences or influences, and even then - the pros/cons will be weighted based on other past experiences/influences.
One fun perspective is that, You'd imagine due to there being no true randomness (outside of - potentially - 'Quantum Randomness'), this would validate the idea that there is no free will - only a outcome dictated by a cocktail of experiences/influences that - due to the complex nature of the influences & how they effect each other, is seemingly unpredictable. Another fun fact that could also validate that is - you'd note it is possible to guess someones decision when you know enough of the experiences/influences. For example I know that Baker93 would most likely be very angry if i punched him, because of personal experiences (Seeing fights occur, being in fights, upbringing, television, society tabboo on fighting etc.etc.).
Or quite simply to quote one of my favorite games & quotes -
'We all make choices, but in the end our choices make us'
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And it makes perfect sense that our actions are products of our observations and experience, and with that we go into the epistemology of empiricism, the belief that our knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.
I'm inclined to say I agree with that, because to me it's a very reasonable theory to something very complex.
And if someone found themselves in a situation with no prior experience whatsoever, and they were forced to act on impulse, how would they react? I wonder if I could compare this to a situation where a person is nearly paralyzed in fear, unable to react. It makes sense, that a human being should feel fear in that sort position..
It's funny in a sad sort of way how something as simple as our own choices can't really be defined as our own.
I'm inclined to say I agree with that, because to me it's a very reasonable theory to something very complex.
And if someone found themselves in a situation with no prior experience whatsoever, and they were forced to act on impulse, how would they react? I wonder if I could compare this to a situation where a person is nearly paralyzed in fear, unable to react. It makes sense, that a human being should feel fear in that sort position..
It's funny in a sad sort of way how something as simple as our own choices can't really be defined as our own.
I can't find the source of the quote, but one quote that I've always used to answer this is: 'We do as we will, but we do not will what we will.'
Meaning we will do what we want. But we can't control what we want.
Meaning we will do what we want. But we can't control what we want.
I'm a believer in the Multiverse theory, with every decision you make an alternate universe is created where you make the opposite decision. There are a lot of different ways this can be interpreted, but I like to think that somewhere out there, there is a me who never ended up using computers and instead learned how to play cricket properly as a hobby.
An evil universe where Old_Man_Oak_63 tortures and plays with crickets properly as a hobby is no doubt an evil one.
Also I'm not being hateful to the thread concept, just I write to fking long and noone reads my posts. So yeah.
Also I'm not being hateful to the thread concept, just I write to fking long and noone reads my posts. So yeah.
Everything happening in your head is chemical reactions and electrical connections, all exploding and meshing at the right times to create every thought and cause every action.
I chose both yes and no (thanks for multiple choice xD) because, honestly, it depends on how you define free will. My personal beliefs have always been and always will be that everything can be anything as it is based on relativity. Match it up against your own personal belief systems. Me personally though, I have no opinion as neutrality and relativity is my chosen belief.
E.g. if a person believes free will exists as that's how it slots in with their system of beliefs, then so be it. If they don't believe it exists, so be it also. It is all relative to the person. I can neither disprove nor prove either of them. And they are neither wrong.
E.g. if a person believes free will exists as that's how it slots in with their system of beliefs, then so be it. If they don't believe it exists, so be it also. It is all relative to the person. I can neither disprove nor prove either of them. And they are neither wrong.
I can't get into psychological stuff, but the these were the first things that popped into my head when I saw this;
I don't think any of them answer your questions, though.
I don't think any of them answer your questions, though.
About the multiverse thing; Imagine how much universes there could be.
Another universe exactly like this but i spent 1 picosecond longer in the shower
Another universe exactly like this but my right foot is 1 micrometer more to the right.
etc etc, You can go very deep.
There is actually free will; you can do what you want within the bounds of your human limitations.
You can rob a bank succesfully. But the chances are low.
You can hijack a plane, today even. Just be prepared for law enforcement to come pick you up.
You can do anything you want. But the chances of succeeding and consequence are always still bound to it.
I see baker's watching this thread.
Reminds me of that time I asked him what would happen if I kicked him in the nuts...
Lee; I'm interested in learning the concepts of discussion..
I'm not practicing for anything in my college-level class, this subject hasn't even been mentioned in the class.
I'd still love to hear your opinion.
I'm not practicing for anything in my college-level class, this subject hasn't even been mentioned in the class.
I'd still love to hear your opinion.