Do we have freewill?

Question

Or are our actions a charade...our freedom a matter of probabilities...

Answer 1

we dont, irregardless to god or no god.

no god? ---
if no god, until quatum physics can prove that there is no true randomness in atoms, which they wont, then our bodies, which are made of atoms, will obey the laws of physics no different then a rock. (look up "determinism" and "space time continuum")
(how do i know quantum's will not prove randomness? because its never has before, we've never ever witness newtons laws be broken in front of our face.)

there is a god? -----
then believe it or not, because at the moment god created the universe, he had the ability to KNOW the future, then he already made our decisions for us. think of it this way, as god shaped the universe, he already knew exactly what each persons actions would be, as he created the environment surrounding us, he already knew how we would act upon those surroundings, thus creating our decisions for us. if you dont understand, then try comparing it to programing a video game, except there is no randomness.

i would stake my life on these beliefs, i hope you understand what i mean.

Answer 2

When they had hurricane Katrina. some ran down to help and feed the starving and save those still in their houses to get out to safety.
Some took advantage of the situation and looted and robbed.
You can either be part of the solution or part of the problem.
Matthew5:9 Happy are the peace makers they will be called sons of God.
In every family you have those who stir up a fuss. She said what a monster you are. She did!
There you just set the stage of a fight.
Or
She said how helpful you were and how much she appreciated it.
You just set the stage for love.
Which one is using his freewill in the right way?

Answer 3

I honestly do not see how we can know with any certainty. If god exists (and I admit to being a questioner) very possibly he, having created by design, could have planned all time to the minutest detail. In finding meaning in life, humans tend to interpret events, particularly tragic ones, in the way which gives them the greatest solace, believing perhaps that "everything happens for a reason". As for free will, we can never have absolute free will because we are governed by laws, by belief systems, by our experiences, and by those who wield power over us. Our lives are guided or controlled to a great extent by the times in which we live, by the expectations of social mores, even etiquette. In my opinion free will is somewhat of a pipe dream; it can only be exercised so far as society will allow...

Answer 4

Theological free will has nothing to do with day-to-day decisions. No argument by anyone on that issue. However, we do not have the ability to choose God, and if God must choose His own, then predestination can be taken at face value without any word-twisting. For more on predestination, take a look at
http://www.reformed.org/calvinism/index.html

Answer 5

No.

If you believe in God, and he knows our future and what we will do, then our destiny is set in stone and our actions are all according to his plan. Ergo if you will do something regardless, you have no free will other then to do what you are destined to do.

If you don't believe in god, there's no free will either because it'd all be based on chemical reactions and physics.

Sorry, but that's the universe in a nutshell. Free will is an illusion.

Answer 6

It's one of the core questions of the human race and I don't think a simple yes or no question will settle it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will

I'm inclined to say yes, but I might just be a moist robot preprogrammed to say that in a deterministic universe. I'm operating under the assumption that I do have free will.

Answer 7

I'd say so. People look at the wonders of the creation and deny the Creator. Everyone is given senses, a brain, speech, etc. and they use these very things to curse the One who gave them these gifts.

Answer 8

In parts of the world we have freedoms, and in our head we are free, but in life we are compelled to do what the majority prefers, so we have a "kind of" free will.

If you live isolated in the wilderness, you have what approaches free will.

Answer 9

I think we have the illusion of free will, but exactly how would that come about? Our brains are biological mechanisms created through the programming of our DNA. The experiences we have are not of our choosing.

The only way I can imagine a modicum of free will is the interaction we have with others. It is the interdependence that allows us to have some sense of free will, but it is only a smidgen of what we have imagined heretofore.

Answer 10

What is your definition of freewill? We definitely have the ability of choice but we are not independent from our genes, chemical make-up, socialization, environment.