If, given the laws of physics, we are able to predict future world states - would free will become a myth?

Question

Laplace's demon destroys freedom - or does it?

Answer 1

NO, free will will always be a factor in life as we know it. It is a decider which cannot be ignored.

Answer 2

There are two parts to this question - firstly, can we predict future world states? As far as I know, given the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and chaos theory (the butterfly effect in weather for example), that is never going to be a possibility.
Secondly, would free become a myth? I believe that it already is a myth as will is very rarely truly free but influenced by culture, background, other peoples expectations and events. We can even be influenced very strongly by stimuli that we are not consciously aware of which is why subliminal advertising, where the image is flashed up for a fraction of a second, is banned.

Answer 3

Free will is not in the physical realm. Free will is of an individual's spirit and is given to each person when their heart first beats.

Physics can only dictate the result of freewill; cause and effect, so to speak. Physics is not the science that would allow us to "predict the future." Physics only allows us to see a "future condition" as it may exist given certain parameters, or given the information available to us at the time of the experiment. Those physical experiments would not be concise enough to be able to predict the future.

Answer 4

There can't be freedom if we know what we will do in advance.
But neither can there be freedom without determination.
Unless:

1) There is such a thing as a self.
2) That self is uneffected or completely distinct from influence.
3) What happened in the past wasn't necessary.

Having a God who knows what you will necessarily do and then imparting free-will on us as if it is our fault.. is to say that you can only freely choose to accept that which is forced. Or people are fated to believe they have free-will. If they do not, that is also their fate -- one punishible by hell. So believe in exactly what you are destined to believe: absurdity.

Answer 5

Maybe if we viewed the future, we would only be viewing the outcome of current courses of action; it would still be changeable if we changed our actions.

I hate this free will / predestination argument. They are so often pitched as binary opposites, yet major religions advocate that there is both a grand plan and free will.

I'm not at all religious, but I don't see them as exclusive opposites, but I really don't knowe how to put my reasoning for this into words.

Answer 6

There is no law called for law of physics or chemistry.They are only natural laws you came to know.You cannot predict future in total never.Even with all our technology we were not able to predict Tsunami.Then forget the case of future.Free will ?Where is it? When you have no choice?

Answer 7

I don't think so, I think 'future world states' are too big and meaningless a concept for people to be so influenced by that they'd renounce their free will.

But hey, who the hell am I, it's just an oppinion.

Answer 8

predicting the future changes the present into which the future is predicted, therefore it changes the future, thus it is impossible to 'predict the future' but you can make an edjucated guess.

Answer 9

Physical determinism and ethical freedom of the will are not inconsistent with one anothr; they can go together.

Answer 10

I believe in fate, therefore your life is destined to happen the way it has. But we are here to understand what we are given. And to understand our decisions.