What I find far more interesting is that the very first hypothetical situation Malcovent thought of was to punch me. 
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Is there such a thing as free will?
- Thread starter Tamsanity
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My belief is that the reason Baker would get angry over being punched is not due to personal experiences. If you were to raise Baker93 far away from society, without any influence, would he still not be angry by being punched? I think this is due to natural selection/evolution of our species. There's a deep rooted understanding of what's wanted and what's morally wrong.
I'm kinda sleepy right now so this may be irrelevant completely. I'll put some more thoughts of mine out later.
Both funny and interesting to read this; Nobody has the answer, yet people want one and debate this.
I chose 'Yes'. No idea why, because the thought of "will" brings me to a conclusion that it doesn't really exist.
I don't explain things very well so bare with me.
One theory I've read about this in the past connects to the Multiverse theory, but in a way that the entirety of time and all the events are already set for each and every one of the Multiverses. Our "will" and our actions merely tell us which Multiverse we live in. If it sounds a lot like Determinism, that's because it, in essence, is, only connecting all that with Multiverses.
It sounds very much possible because, to me, the thought of us and our simple "minds" (chemical reactions)(basically nothingness compared to the Universe) changing Multiverses is absurd.
But that's just me; a guy who can't explain things and tries to find reason in everything.
Ask my mom the same question and she'll say that if you used all of your brain to convince yourself that something exists, it will exist (eg walking on water and not dying etc)(basically telling you that will and thoughts are the most powerful things in the Universe). My dad, hearing all this from the living room, would reply that if you created another reality for yourself, you'd be crazy and would get dragged into a mental institution.
I chose 'Yes'. No idea why, because the thought of "will" brings me to a conclusion that it doesn't really exist.
I don't explain things very well so bare with me.
One theory I've read about this in the past connects to the Multiverse theory, but in a way that the entirety of time and all the events are already set for each and every one of the Multiverses. Our "will" and our actions merely tell us which Multiverse we live in. If it sounds a lot like Determinism, that's because it, in essence, is, only connecting all that with Multiverses.
It sounds very much possible because, to me, the thought of us and our simple "minds" (chemical reactions)(basically nothingness compared to the Universe) changing Multiverses is absurd.
But that's just me; a guy who can't explain things and tries to find reason in everything.
Ask my mom the same question and she'll say that if you used all of your brain to convince yourself that something exists, it will exist (eg walking on water and not dying etc)(basically telling you that will and thoughts are the most powerful things in the Universe). My dad, hearing all this from the living room, would reply that if you created another reality for yourself, you'd be crazy and would get dragged into a mental institution.
Here's how I see it.
If you think it exists, you have it.
Everyone is different, and so they all have their own ideals. Ideals can be related to free will. You'd rather act this way because of how you see the world.
If you think it exists, you have it.
Everyone is different, and so they all have their own ideals. Ideals can be related to free will. You'd rather act this way because of how you see the world.
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Guest
Free will? No. I personally think, while some may pin me as a psychopath for this, that everything we do is chosen by others. Think about it. The human race, in itself, is incredibly stupid. Perhaps on purpose? Maybe people found out the truth and got scared? Perhaps the Governments of Earth fight to keep everyone concentrated on something different? I guess it's sort of the thing like you're the only person you're 100% sure exists. You have no way of knowing if everyone else is a robot, an alien, or in on something. Call me insane, but it's just a theory.
I can see what you mean but " If you think it exists, you have it"
That's like saying "If you think an anvil will fall on poor Baker93's head. It will."...
Not quite.
His example is based in the imaginary world of thoughts while yours has its roots in the real world (anvils falling on Baker93).
Btw, I think we need to start paying security for Baker. People here don't seem to want him safe xD
Still. Your thoughts of free will are still bound to the real world in the form of physical consequences.
And whaaat noo. I don't want Baker dead bahaah whaaaaat?
Don't ban me ;-;
Going by the the definition of free no there isn't. When I see the word free I think of it being able to obtain without consequences on your half. Free will in itself you can choose the course of action you want to take freely. But the results will not be yours to choose, therefore that being the cost of it.
I think that we have the free choice to make decisions, but these will be based on our past experiences, our conscience, and our sense of morals. If I have been raised in a violent environment, I may be skewed towards showing violence to other people, but I still have the free choice. I may still have an empathy for others, for example. Of course I am altered by my past and present, but who I am at my core defines me. It's who you are on the inside, or at least I believe it is. And you yourself define who you are inside
To Clarify: Free will being the freedom to make your own decisions without constraints or prompts.
(neither conscious or unconscious, external, internal, metaphysical, etc)
does that make sense im really tired and stressed but that's what I had in mind I hope I worded it correctly philosophy always gets me in this mindset like I really know nothing about the world because I really know nothing about the world and knowing that helps me to know more about knowing about knowing about knowing about knowing
(neither conscious or unconscious, external, internal, metaphysical, etc)
does that make sense im really tired and stressed but that's what I had in mind I hope I worded it correctly philosophy always gets me in this mindset like I really know nothing about the world because I really know nothing about the world and knowing that helps me to know more about knowing about knowing about knowing about knowing
The way I see it, we at least have a sense of having free will, and that in it's self could be a form of free will. A lot of philosophers have theorized that the realest 'form' that exists is in our form of thoughts, ideas. According to Plato, a form is unchanging, immortal. I haven't read if Plato had a theory on free will, but I'm inclined to say he would have believed free will existed purely because it was within our minds, like the innate knowledge that I mentioned earlier..
Just in the fact that we're able to say, 'I've made this decision, and I'm responsible for the outcome' is in itself a sort of free will.
I'll refer once again to Plato and his concept of 'participation'. Think of your computer, for example. According to Plato, you can only see your own computer because it's 'participating' in becoming it's highest form, it's full potential, the ideal essence of what it is. So, basically what you're seeing is a mere projection of what it actually is, you're seeing this physical 'thing' only because it's participating in becoming its highest form.
So in accordance to free will, we can believe we have free will maybe because free will itself is participating in becoming the highest form of itself, and what our human minds can comprehend is only the shadow of what free will actually is.
Maybe the highest form of free will is actually just the way the universe has planned our own choices out already for ourselves. Or in reference to the previous theories about the Multiverse, maybe that could in itself be the highest form of free will.
What we perceive is 'free will' but in 'reality' it could honestly just be our lives already planned out, our choices made, situations set up for us to walk into, words for us to type, what we decide to eat, absolutely everything.
The purest essence of free will could just be, well, everything.
Just in the fact that we're able to say, 'I've made this decision, and I'm responsible for the outcome' is in itself a sort of free will.
I'll refer once again to Plato and his concept of 'participation'. Think of your computer, for example. According to Plato, you can only see your own computer because it's 'participating' in becoming it's highest form, it's full potential, the ideal essence of what it is. So, basically what you're seeing is a mere projection of what it actually is, you're seeing this physical 'thing' only because it's participating in becoming its highest form.
So in accordance to free will, we can believe we have free will maybe because free will itself is participating in becoming the highest form of itself, and what our human minds can comprehend is only the shadow of what free will actually is.
Maybe the highest form of free will is actually just the way the universe has planned our own choices out already for ourselves. Or in reference to the previous theories about the Multiverse, maybe that could in itself be the highest form of free will.
What we perceive is 'free will' but in 'reality' it could honestly just be our lives already planned out, our choices made, situations set up for us to walk into, words for us to type, what we decide to eat, absolutely everything.
The purest essence of free will could just be, well, everything.
Maybe it does.
I have seen scientific arguments alike that say everything is predetermined by our nature/nurture, our predispositions and by unseen factors that appear to us as simply random. I'm not sure what to think honestly.
To some degree you will be able to choose what you think and want, but we will never truly be able to fully have a free will. People have asked this question a million times times before in let's say 3000 years of time (just a number, don't shoot me) Will we ever have a correct answer to this? Probably not because the question: "Is there sutch a thing as free will" will most likely be answered with an opinion of what that person thinks. There are countries where free will and free thoughts are BANNED, so those people will probably think that free wil does not exist.
Free will might exist to some degree, but we will never be able to fully choose freely what we want and do, previous experiences and memories will influence what you will do later on in your life. For example (read this online) if you 2 forks in front of you, one of plastic and one of metal, and if you have always eaten with metal forks for your entire live, you will choose the metal fork faster, because you are more familiar with it. Was it free will that made you choose the fork? Maybe. But in my opinion everything you choose is determined by memories, previous experiences and an external source telling you things, influencing what you think; example: Politicians, The News, etc.
(I have used the word probably a lot, that's because there really is no telling what might actually happen in real life)
I have seen scientific arguments alike that say everything is predetermined by our nature/nurture, our predispositions and by unseen factors that appear to us as simply random. I'm not sure what to think honestly.
To some degree you will be able to choose what you think and want, but we will never truly be able to fully have a free will. People have asked this question a million times times before in let's say 3000 years of time (just a number, don't shoot me) Will we ever have a correct answer to this? Probably not because the question: "Is there sutch a thing as free will" will most likely be answered with an opinion of what that person thinks. There are countries where free will and free thoughts are BANNED, so those people will probably think that free wil does not exist.
Free will might exist to some degree, but we will never be able to fully choose freely what we want and do, previous experiences and memories will influence what you will do later on in your life. For example (read this online) if you 2 forks in front of you, one of plastic and one of metal, and if you have always eaten with metal forks for your entire live, you will choose the metal fork faster, because you are more familiar with it. Was it free will that made you choose the fork? Maybe. But in my opinion everything you choose is determined by memories, previous experiences and an external source telling you things, influencing what you think; example: Politicians, The News, etc.
(I have used the word probably a lot, that's because there really is no telling what might actually happen in real life)
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You have freewill to attempt a choice, but due to how you grow up and absorb culture, you may be less inclined to do so. If your freewill leads you to do something illegal, you may technically not be able to as someone may constrain you, but generally you can act on your will whenever, why-ever, wherever you want
this is like a religion convention where all the religions go and discuss shit and get into a big debate about who is right, but they all agree at the end of the day that there's a god
I'm with Malco on this one. The brain is a physical thing, it can make extra connections by various ways of learning but it still stays your brain. I believe that theoratically you should be able to predict exactly somebody's life if you're given sufficient information (which is of course never possible, too many outside factors). Even the smallest of choice is influenced by your upbring and genetics. They can already predict a lot based on your prevous behaviour and personality. You can even study Psychology. Because people's their actions are so predictable (given enough information -important-) I think free will can't exist.
The debate asks a yes/no question, we cannot agree on either (agreeing on 'maybe' would be absurd). We're not here to agree or disagree but rather to state our thoughts and beliefs.
(Because somebody is preparing herself for a possible future class debate on this and we're actually doing her a favor xD)