Is a human being free in choice and action or determined? If determined-by what?or by who?

Answer 1

God.

Answer 2

An adequate response to this question must address the basic theoretic attitude taken in regard to the nature of human will. Clearly--when assuming an empirical approach to the matter--there are instances in which our particular actions are determined by some outside force, while at other times, we are free to make a decision based on two or more choices. This much is obvious. The real crux of the philosophical question is, understood universally, are human beings free to make their own decisions and direct their own lives.

In response to this now more clearly defined question, I will say that the will is indeed free. This is the case for two central reasons. Reason one: As an agent engaging in a particular action, the totality of one's being at that given historical moment is concretely expressed. To say that the action was determined by some previously existing force is to step outside of the active, concrete moment of the action itself to appraise it from a different, passive perspective. That is to say, in the moment of an individual's act (of course, from the perspective of said individual, which is the only one that matters) the truth of the will is fully realized, as nothing in that moment can stand outside of it. To call this action determined is to jab at it a posteriori from a completely incongruous position.

Reason two: without freedom there can be no value. Clearly, there is value. If all human decisions were determined, no person could be either culpable or praiseworthy. Further, no judgment would make any sense, inasmuch as any choice or appraisal would be as good or bad as any other, as the terms "good" and "bad" exist purely in the ambit of morality, which hinges entirely on human thought and deliberation.

The reduction of human will to the vagaries of external conditions is ultimately an act of laziness. The argument that, "however free a particular action may appear, at bottom it was the product of some prior cause existing outside of human control" cannot be refuted, because it is too abstract. This is an easy, thoughtless argument that can be attributed to any effort without specific support. What's more, I don't think people should talk about "brain chemistry" and "hereditary determinations" as if they are indisputable facts when said individuals have never personally studied the physical structure of the brain themselves, and so are simply taking these amorphous findings of "science" for granted.

Answer 3

I think our sense of free choice is misleading. We evaluate all known data, then we search around in ourself for what we think or feel would be the best course of action. So while we are technically free to do anything, some things would be abhorrent to us, so we're never going to freely choose them. So ARE we free? Or are we governed by our current, state of the moment, morality combined with our intelligence and knowledge? I don't think this argument releases us from responsibility for our actions, but in a sense I think we are "determined" by our ethics and morality, however those have been shaped.

Answer 4

Human beings are free to do as they please, but there are consequenses for actions. If you break the laws of your country, or if you fail to observe the laws of physics or nature (like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute). You can also break other laws of basic humanity, or of decency. You might enter into an agreement or relationship that begins to create boundaries in yor life. So yes you have a free will, but most people subject their free will to others and temper their freedom for very good reasons.

Answer 5

In the three major monotheist religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam, God gave mankind the ability to choose their own destiny and a set of rules to follow to achieve a specific destiny.

Many other religions support the same fundamental ideology where a person's choices lead to the person's destiny.

Being a Zen Christian I believe that God gave every person the ability to choose their own destiny. God is all knowing so God knows what choices you will make before you make them, but, those choices are not pre-determined.

Ever been hanging out with someone and just know when they were going to do something, maybe something stupid? You didn't make them do it and they didn't tell you they were going to do it, you just knew. They made the choice to do it.

In my religion, God is like that.

Answer 6

I don't know, but I believe it's determined. Not by anybody in particular, but by their genes and by environmental factors. The perception of free will comes from the perception that we make decisions, but we're all just guided by our experience so far, as well as our brain's tendency toward one choice or another based on heredity.

Answer 7

human being is free up to certain limt.but all his action are subjected to reward or punishment/------it is God who given free will -to human being--but God has asked him to away from certain thing---yu can stand on while touching onlly one fot to ground--but if yu put the other fot from earth yu will drop on ground---this is limtation of human being--