Because the kind of thing that you or I 'am' is not at all clear. And without knowing that, you might as well have said anything at all. — StreetlightX
one really ought to specify, from a wide field of contenders, which notion of free will is in play. — StreetlightX
Why would we need to start by figuring out the "kind" of thing we are in order to address a question like "Do we have free will? — Noble Dust
Presumably my teapot does not have free will, and I do. What's is the relevant difference between me and my teapot, as far as free will is concerned? — StreetlightX
*And should you really be trying to define one ambiguous idea by one other, entirely ambiguous idea? — StreetlightX
Free will is predicated on consciousness. — Noble Dust
You appear to employ an approach that doesn't allow for anything to actually be established. At some point, you have to allow yourself to take something at face value, just so you have somewhere to begin. The most obvious place to begin is experience. Consciousness is where we experience. — Noble Dust
If your question does not require new information in order to be answered, that's all we're going to get. — Πετροκότσυφας
What kind of thing is 'free will' such that 'we' might or might not have it to begin with? — StreetlightX
So, if we define free will as the ability to make choices and choice as the ability to imagine different scenarios, entertain their outcomes and pursue them, then the kind of subjects who have free will are those who have a sense of self, possess imagination, desires and are able to act on them. Then clearly you and I have free will, while your teapot doesn't. — Πετροκότσυφας
So, if we define free will as the ability to make choices and choice as the ability to imagine different scenarios, entertain their outcomes and pursue them, then the kind of subjects who have free will are those who have a sense of self, possess imagination, desires and are able to act on them. Then, clearly, you and I have free will, while your teapot doesn't. — Πετροκότσυφας
There are two aspects of the human condition that affect can choice of direction (we direct ourselves towards future action). The first is creative imagination. The second is will. Both are influenced and constrained in a multitude of ways. — Rich
How about the knowledge we can (!) have about what is causing our own behaviour at a certain moment, this simplified internal representation of a complex causal structure is what partially governs both our actions and future orientations, never mind the observation that it's the obfuscation of this knowledge from the outside world which gives us a sense of freedom with it. — Gooseone
Isn't it obvious that, even from our own point of view, our choices are deterministic? — Michael Ossipoff
It is not only not obvious, it is contrary to all of my experiences. — Rich
There is simply not scintilla of evidence to support determinism
As Schopenhaur said, "You can do what you will, but you can't willl what you will." — Michael Ossipoff
People make choices and then use energy to try to enact them. This is the experience of life. — Rich
I've told why that isn't your experience. But a person who is sufficiently committed to their beliefs can convince themselves of a fictitious experience. — Michael Ossipoff
I am constantly making choices throughout my day — Rich
...and those choices are governed, determined, by your predispositions, and your surroundings. And that's your experience.
You don't realize that you're more closely-related to a Roomba than you want to admit. — Michael Ossipoff
It is ironic how science begins to resemble religion once it decides to base its theories on supernatural forces such as Natural Selection, Natural Laws, Big Bangs, Illusions and such. It's like science is simply recreating mythology of the past simply to placate its faithful. Honestly, I can't tell the difference. — Rich
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