is there really free will? it seems like only chemicals and environment control us. our free will is just an illusion. whenever we "make a decision" its only by chemical and environmental influence. then add a god to the equation, who supposedly knows the future. how can you do the opposite of what god *knows* you will do? and isnt god responsible for evil, if he created evil, or let evil exist? for example lucifer, god knew he was crooked even before he gave him this supposed "free will". same with adam and eve. i looks like religion and government make people think they have free will in order to make them feel guilty for doing something bad. funny how free will believers can never explain the mechanism that allows us to choose freely.
2007-01-10 01:17:04 · 11 answers · asked by ּΩּ 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
we are somewhat free radicals floating in a sea of law
2007-01-10 01:22:09 · answer #1 · answered by Sean 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will is a difficult position to defend. Logically (deductive), the argument for naturalistic determinism is fairly simple--all events have a cause-->human actions are events-->C: Human actions are caused (determinism).
As far as the argument listed here regarding anger and emotions, that is easily resolved when you consider that emotions are caused, as well. Another classic seeming contradiction is the law system, which would seem to be useless given determinism. However, the determinist will simply argue that those who punish others for determined behavior are simply determined to punish them. At first, I'll grant you, the argument seems absurd, and I used to be in the free will camp, but after much careful consideration on the matter I've come around...
Finally, though some will say that randomness is a given (on scientific grounds, which may be shaky--though I'm in no position to judge), it would only equate free will with randomness (not true choice). I have yet to see a legitimate logical argument for free will.
2007-01-11 09:32:44 · answer #2 · answered by rawley_iu 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will is difficult to see and something that takes effort (which most don't bother) - so I can understand questioning it.
But if there is no free will and everything is mechanical - and you actually undestood and lived this idea - you would never become angry at any person for anything they do. You would never become upset. No one is responsible for what they do - so it is not their fault. Why blame or judge another for what they can not control? You would not worry about tomorrow or be anxious in any way - it is out of your hands.
As long as you totally understand that you can do nothing at all and you have no control - while understanding the game is stacked for evolution and progress.
~ Eric Putkonen
2007-01-10 09:39:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Welcome to Calvinism, where we do not have the ability to choose God. This puts "free will" in an entirely different light, one choice of rejection of God except for His intervention. And if we therefore ALL stand guilty before Him, why even mention foreknowledge in the Bible, and chemical reactions, and environmental influence? It must mean something different, maybe in the sense of Adam "knowing" Eve? Intimately, that is, which makes it a fore LOVING of His own. Arminianism's "free will" assumption leads to questions like yours. Calvinism does not.
2007-01-10 09:31:17 · answer #4 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God knows what we will do, yes. But, just because He knows doesn't mean that we cannot make a decision. We do have free will. We make thousands of decisions everyday. We choose to lie or not lie, we choose to steal or not steal, we choose to eat out or stay home. God knows in the end that we will lie, or we will steal or we will stay at home. But, we are still making our own decisions.
2007-01-10 09:44:19 · answer #5 · answered by Kat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Interesting viewpoint. I disagree. If it was only "environment and chemicals" then you wouldn't get people acting in vastly different ways in the exact same situations. If you say that's just the chemicals talking, well then which chemicals exactly tell a person whether or not to kill another person, or to steal something they want, or to believe or disbelieve in God? I'm not buying the "chemical" theory and neither are you, I'm guessing...
2007-01-10 09:24:53 · answer #6 · answered by Open Heart Searchery 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We live in a determined universe, but with an infinite amount of complexity, it gets, well, complicated. I'm battling with the concept of free will too, and although I haven't completely read it myself, try reading The Science of good and evil by Sherman. good readz.
2007-01-10 09:29:58 · answer #7 · answered by Drew 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the mechanics are quite simple
we all have been assigned angels
equally matched good and dark angels
the bad bring you down ,into greed and fear
the good suggest doing the right thing
but your soul results in how much you freely choose to follow your higher suggestions[thought]
or if you choose to follow the base[dark] angels option ie creed ,greed ,fear ,war ,violance abuse etc
there is no satan ,satan=devil-d-evil=vile=veil-ed =live-d
demons are quite real ,
satan recanted 1000 years ago but you can choose of thy own freewill to believe it or not.
2007-01-10 09:30:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will is real, a gift from God to all of us, to make our own decisions.
God did create evil( Isaiah 45:7 ), but it our choice to do evil or not.
Free will is a simple explanation, it lets you decide for yourself.
2007-01-10 09:24:18 · answer #9 · answered by The Question Man 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I have no choice but to not believe in free will. Giving up the notion of free will caused me to be a much more contented, accepting, forgiving person. Not only towards others but to myself.
2007-01-10 09:24:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christians can never satisfactorily answer this question. As products of Western culture, anything other than free will is anathema to them. On the other hand, their god is, and has to be, omni everything.
Watching their mental gymnastics trying to resolve that one is a pitiful exercise.
2007-01-10 09:24:24 · answer #11 · answered by gebobs 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋