We ask those questions all the time, regardless where stand on free will.What Do You Believe?
This debate raises fundamental questions about human nature, morality, and the meaning of life itself. — Cadet John Kervensley
Of course we're not 'truly' free. In order to live, we must be constrained by the environment that nurtures us and the demands of at least subsistence. We are limited by our physical and mental capabilities. We are further restrained by the society on which we depend for security and co-operation. Individually, we may also have freedoms curtailed by dependents, family ties, obligations and contracts. At most, we have freedom in a narrow range of available choices.Are we truly free, or are we simply following a predetermined path?
It doesn't matter. We experience life as a series of options and decisions. Whether by fate or intent, we judge, act and arrange our relationshipsas if all parties were free and responsible agents. And if it's predetermined that we so, we cannot change it. If we could stop judging and acting as if we are free, we would actually disprove determinism. There's your paradox.Is there room for personal responsibility in a deterministic world?
By accepting my limitations with as much grace as I can muster, and becoming frustrated when I can't muster enough.How do you reconcile the tension between autonomy and external influences in your own life? — Cadet John Kervensley
There is no absolute freedom. I am limited in various ways, due to the nature of my being. I cannot flap my arms and fly to Hawaii for the weekend. I cannot ingest dirt for nutrition. I cannot bear children. On and on. — Patterner
Do you lean more toward free will or determinism? — Cadet John Kervensley
My main issue with the argument of no free will would be the fact that if you believed in that you would have to argue that murderers and other heinous crimes are justified because the perpetrator simply had no choice, he HAD to kill those people, its not his fault. — Samlw
Throughout writing this, I have argued to myself that you could punch someone in the face at any point in the day if you wanted to, but you don't because you don't want to. Maybe that's because you aren't aggressive or you are scared of the repercussions, it could be anything, but maybe that "not wanting" to do something even though you could do it at any point, takes away part of that free will. But even then with that thought it would still argue that free will is real, it just gets hindered. — Samlw
According to hard determinism, everything in the universe, including human behavior, follows a chain of cause and effect. If this is true, then our sense of free will is merely an illusion. — Cadet John Kervensley
They believe that while our actions may be influenced by external forces, we still possess a degree of freedom within those constraints. — Cadet John Kervensley
Though I may be free to steal someone’s car I must live with consequence of this decision which is the removal of my freedom/liberty upon being caught and found guilty of this crime. — kindred
I’m truly free when I’m not bound by the causality of actions leading to a choice, in this respect I have free will, as long as I can make acausal choices or decisions. — kindred
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