Is there such thing as free will...?

Question

If humans act according to reason, emotion and desire, then are any of our actions truely 'free'....?

i.e.

Reason is directed by logical rules and predetermined intellectual capacity, emotions are involuntary and desire spawned from urges.

Answer 1

That reasoning is performed in accord with rules of logic does not entail that only one decision is possible in a given situation. Consequently the concept of free will is not made redundant by virtue of thought and decisions being logical/rational.

Sartre also has a nice line of argument that says that actions always have to be rooted in free decisions because otherwise any account of why someone had acted as they did would be impossible as it would always end up being an infinite regression of reasons for the action, reasons for reasons for the action, reasons for reasons for reasons for the action (-you get the idea) and so forth.

Answer 2

All acts are a result of choice! Free Will means you have the capacity to willingly do an act or not! The human being is a complex being emotions can run hot or cold,desire can be little or great but it all boils down to choice! Do you choose to let your emotions get the better of you in conflict or can you reason that maybe this is not the best, again choice. Do you really desire to do something or not? Again it resolves into choice! We are a thinking being and Logic and Reasoning stem from thinking. Some folks never think about the consequences of what they do, they choose to just do it and let the devil take the hind foot, as the old expression goes. When you stop and think about your choices, then you are more apt to make the correct one. Generally speaking, your first thought is the right thought!

Answer 3

Some people think there is free will, and some that our actions are determined.

I am not sure how you would get the evidence to answer this question. If we appear to act freely, it is always possible that the action is nevertheless determined by some cause of which we are unaware. On the other hand, if our actions appear to be determined, it may nevertheless be that we consistently choose freely to act in the same way. (This idea is "compatibilism", and derives from Thomas Hobbes seventeenth century work "Leviathan").

If we act according to reason, emotion and desire, the question becomes one of whether our reasons, emotions and desires are externally determined, or whether our thoughts and feelings are generated freely.

Answer 4

I am not a scientist or University educated individual: But I do have enough education from the University of Life to know: YES there such a thing as 'Freewill'!!

adj : done of your own accord and choosing!!

Because you 'Chose' to act or react to the Thought: Emotion: Desire: Belief: Peer pressure, etc, etc, etc.

Each and every one of us, who are of 'Sound Mind', have the capacity and God given gift of 'free will' to choose: Good from Evil: right or wrong: believe or don't believe, YES or NO: etc, etc, etc.

But it is how this gift is used, that is questionable!!

While society as a whole is becoming anaesthetised to such things a war, violence, murder, religion, whatever... We still have the ability, should we choose to use it, to say..ENOUGH!!

If we did not have the 'free will' to choose: we would not be 'Human', we would be Robots. And Microsoft/Mr Gates would be making far more money than they are now!! As he would have found a way to program us all!!

Answer 5

Oh yes, there is FREE WILL. You have a mind which thinks about 100'000 thoughts a day. Each thought has a creative energy of its own which shapes your destiny. That is how you create your life. That is your free will, but so many people waste their thoughts of negativity and pessimism or even worse.

That is what a previous answer means when they say that many of us 'don't use our free will properly.'

Direct your thoughts towards the things you desire. Think thoughts which support your goals and ambitions in life. As long as they don't cause any harm, then you will be architecting your destiny and creating many great things for yourself.

This is you using your free will properly.

Answer 6

Yes, probably. Given that
(1) It coheres so well with our view of ourselves as agents
(2) It supports the edifice of morality
(3) The concept arises very naturally in people.

That does not mean that we are not determined in some way to act as we do, of course, and (1-3) above do not constitute a proof by any means. But the abandonment of the concept leads to odd and counter-intuitive conclusions, particularly in the realm of action and morality. Also, the concept of 'determination' is very vague, and takes many forms, like the notion of free will. It would be a little rash to abandon either before understanding either. And given the usefulness of free will for punishment and blame(to be pragmatic), it is wise not to dismiss the concept.

Answer 7

yes there is something like free will. A humans emotions and desires are free but there are surtent limits.with free will also comes responsibility. A desire is not always an urge. I can desire something and not have the urge for it.

Answer 8

First freedom. Freedom is doing what you want (not the ability to do otherwise). Reason is the locus of freedom (you are free to use your reason if you want to).

Next will. Will is the aspect of man that makes manifest their view of the good. Will is expressed through choice.

You choose (will) what you desire (emotion), and you desire what you believe (reason) to be the good (highest value).

There is a unity of thought, feeling, and will in each person.

Man is changeable by nature and is therefore changeable in their view of the good. You are free to use your reason to know the good (summum bonum).

The good (knowledge of God) is available to all at all times (God's existence and attributes are clear to reason from general revelation).

With freedom (rationality) comes responsibility (accountability).

You are always choosing what you want and have no basis for complaint.

Good question.

Answer 9

We live our lives continually fed, either from the promptings of our subconscious mind, or by the constant BOMBARDMENT of ADS and more ads, from right across the media. Buy this, do that.........these can all contribute towards motivating us to act in a certain way. It is commonly called 'the Power of Suggestion'. I'm not a psychologist and I avoid, religiously, ANY form of advertising which in the main is a lot of garbage !
Free Will ? Not really. We are susceptible, great many of us, and those who are susceptible just swim along to wherever the river flows (unfortunately for them,) I don't mean to sound superior, it's just my observation from where I stand.

Answer 10

It is interesting that you note that emotions are not voluntary but I do not subscribe that this is an argument against free will. Emotions do not dictate what we do/think and et cetera, they just nudge in various directions. Also, the intellect has the power to overcome/override emotional response. Consider anger. If emotion was our prime mover, there would be a lot of dead and bleeding people at my feat. I am angry with them, I want to hurt them, I CHOOSE not to.