Are you aware of the universal law that states every action has a reaction? Do you believe in free will to the extent that our choices are mostly formed by our previous experiences, heredity, nurturing, and environment (following the law)? Do you believe in free will, in the sense that your choices are *not* influenced by your DNA, upbringing, experiences or environment and are free from prior actions(against the law)?
2007-01-17 07:42:10 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
spirit: but we are here. I don't see how presupposing a supernatural god makes it true.
2007-01-17 07:55:19 · update #1
Free will is merely an illusion caused by self-aware computation.
There are three possible modes of computation -- Neural Networks (like the brain), cellular automata (like Conways' "Game of Life"), and von Neumann machines (like your computer). All three types of computation can be provably computable via a Turing Machine, and as such, are in all ways computationally equivalent.
A turing machine consists of a memory ribbon and a read/write head. The read/write head exists in a state and based on its current state and the symbol on the tape where it is reading, will write a symbol (or not write, which is valid), will move one cell left or right on the ribbon, and move to a new state.
In short -- input + current state, process, output, where the inputs and current state are processed to produce an output that creates behavior and a change in state.
Unless there is a soul or a god, there is no free will. As there is no evidence of a soul or a god, there is no point in arguing for the existence of free will. It is too easily disproven without relying on 'miraculous intervension'.
Atheists who claim free will exists can do so only by invoking a miracle, otherwise the choices they make are purely computational and there is no 'will' to it. It bothers me to see my fellow atheists so close to the truth then use a miracle to justify their 'free will'.
The ability to make a choice is not the same as free will.
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To the responder below:
If the ability to make a choice is free will, then your computer has free will. It makes choices all the time. You move your mouse. If your mouse moves right, it chooses to move the indicator right based on a few simple IF-THEN-ELSE invocations.
Try this:
INPUT "Give me a number: ", X
IF X = 2
THEN PRINT "You gave me 2."
ELSE PRINT "You did not give me 2."
If you input this program, then run it and provide the number 4, is it free will that it will promptly tell you "You did not give me 2."? A choice was made.
Free will is not the ability to make a choice, it is the ability to make a choice wholely devoid of influence of one's past states. This is computationally impossible. For example -- could someone who has never seen alcohol, heard of alcohol, touched alcohol, drunk alcohol, someone for whom alcohol is entirely nonexistent... choose to cure himself of alcoholism? Without the misuse of alcohol being part of his current state, he could not make the choice to stop using alcohol.
2007-01-17 07:50:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I believe in free will, but also believe there are many forces which pull us in various directions. This does not mean we have any less free will, just need to work harder were we too choose a path in opposition to any of those forces. These "forces" could be from dna, upbringing, environment, etc. Religiously, I believe God acts within the laws of the Universe and has provided certain laws (without laws there can be no free will); we are then either blessed or punished according to the laws (which God is also bound by). This may be too much in too little, so sorry.
2007-01-17 08:20:34 · answer #2 · answered by straightup 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most people are ignorant and uneducated and don't know that free will is actually not based on our own conscious choices. Free will is the ability for our brains to process information from past experiences, DNA, Environment, etc, then preforming an action. Sometimes DNA makes the move, sometimes other aspects win. The conscious brain isn't even aware of a decision until after it is made. We basically have no control over our actions, 'WE' being the being we are aware of.
2007-01-17 07:48:48 · answer #3 · answered by agnosticaatheistica 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a very philosophical and speculative question. Our actions are determined by ourselves as willed by God and thus everything is counted for - experiences, nurturing, environment, etc. and that's that.
Peace and Love
2007-01-17 09:02:10 · answer #4 · answered by mil's 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have to disagree with the above responder. How do you define free will if it is not the ability to make a choice? Free will, in reality, is only the ability to make a choice. What the choice is based upon is immaterial. I can either slap your face or not if you grope me, it is my choice and my free will, just as it is yours whether you grope me or not. To say we have the ability to choose our path in life but then say we have no free will is a non sequitor. The ability to choose our path is free will, pure and simple.
2007-01-17 08:20:08 · answer #5 · answered by Elizabeth Howard 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have free will because God keeps His laws intact. If He didn't, we wouldn't be here to have any will, free or otherwise. YBIC
2007-01-17 07:44:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No free will at all. We are biological machines. It's an illusion.
2007-01-17 07:47:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Who's universal law, we don't really do laws any more.
2007-01-17 07:46:26 · answer #8 · answered by fourmorebeers 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Iyamwutiyam.....
2007-01-17 07:54:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋