Do really have free will? if so how, why? and is that what separates us from animals, free from instinct?

Question

Has our species evolved to take more "responsiblity" of him self?

Have we "earned" more freedom from our instincts?
I mean we are of course limited by our nature, human nature, whatever all of it may be, but within that space of what it means to be human do we have some degree of freedom?
e.g. I can choose to go left right, I can choose to bang my head on the wall, but I cant be you for 5 min., I cant throw a rock to mars with my hand etc.

Do we have free will, do we have freedom?
Does a monkey think he has free will, or snail or stone?
How can we be sure of free will even within that small space of human possibility's?

Everything we do we do because thats what being human means, just like anything else, things just do what their nature at that moment permits them to do, just like us, right?
Now does a rock or a dog have free will?

Sorry for my poor writing, english is not my mother tounge.

Do animals have a chooice in what they do? e.g. can a orangutang mother choose not to take care of her young?
It seems not, they follow their nature, their instinct, just like us.????

Answer 1

Using the classic definition of free-will (that we can make decisions without ANY outside influence) it is impossible to have free-will in the real world. We are influenced by our enviroment in the past, our relationships in the present, and our dreams of the future.

Depending on how the definition is modified, it is possible to have some form of free-will.

Answer 2

Any thing that is inanimate would not have a free will. It does not live. As to the free will of throwing a rock to Mars? Do you have the capability? Ability and will are two different things. Power? You need that to throw an 8 oz. rock to that point! You also need the knowledge of the solar systems workings with gravity and the positions of the planets in relation the earth, as well as timing. In order to get your 8 oz. rock to Mars the physics of time, gravity, space, and energy has to be known. As well as a whole host of other related topics. Being me or throwing a rock to Mars has nothing to do with free will. It has every thing to do with ability.
Dogs, and monkeys, snails and other species have more instinct than they realize. Snails on a minute scale impossible to gauge totally, but yes; and it is so very small. Dogs and monkeys have a greater range of free will. That has been gauged to some extent or another by many studies that I'm not going to look up for you, nor would I. (you decide to look it up if you want)
Free will is not what seperates us from the animal kingdom. What is the most noticeable form of seperation is our ability to see that there is a future in decades. No other animal has this. We know, and understand the future where the animal will by instinct prepare for a seasons future inbread into them like scavenging is to a dog.
Our free will is born with us. We use growing into adulthood and maintain it through to our death. We decide what to wear, our jobs, where we want to live, and if we kill or not. We decide on our own greeds or our gifts of giving. No one else, nor any other animal can, nor will do this for us.
Look to your question.....you decided to ask the question didn't you? Who twisted your arm into pain to force you to ask? Or did you decide to ask of your own free will?

Answer 3

I believe free will means freedom of choice and I believe that we have that all the time. Even if someone were to point a gun at my head and threaten to shoot me if I didn't obey, I would still have a choice: obey, get shot or desperately try something else to get out of the situation.

I don't believe we are "free" from instinct. I think we try to suppress it because society doesn't like it, but I think a lot of our daily problems happen because of not listening to our instincts. They are there for a reason: to be used.

I don't think animals think about free will too much. I think they think it's a waste of time. I also think a mother orang-utan could decide to neglect her child. Why should we assume that they do not? Even if it's not a commonly seen thing amongst orang-utans, it doesn't mean it never happens.

I believe that everyone has freedom of choice. You can choose to throw a rock to mars if you like, but you will probably find that it won't reach quite that far. But how will you know unless you try? And you can choose to be me if you like and if you search hard enough maybe you will find a way to do it. But you can also choose not to find out. See? Free will.

Answer 4

First of all I think your English is fine.


We all have free will. Humans have a choice whether they do what they do. Animals do things in order to survive and protect there loved ones.

The only difference is. Humans that are high in Governement etc rob us of our ability to choose so they can make more money and still keep there so called 'power' over us.

When someone does something very bad. It is said that they acted like an animal. This is a bad thing to say. They had a choice to committ the act they've done.

Answer 5

Humans have instincts too. In addition to scientific considerations, common sense insists that Free Will exists. Who would deny that we have Free Will when we put one foot in front of the other and decide, of our own volition, of our own Free Will, to go for a walk or not go for a walk? It is clearly irrational to believe that a chain of causality at the time of the Big Bang determines if we go for a walk this afternoon, or not.

Regarding your statements about becoming me or throwing a rock to the mars, we can't defy the laws of physics.....free will is restricted by the laws of physics. If you break the law of gravity, you'll get a ticket...jk

Answer 6

Your English use is fine. I chose to believe that we have free will. I don't like the idea that before I was born, a script was written and I'm an un-witting actor! If I'm wrong, I want a shot at the author; I should have a better role!

Answer 7

In my opinion, free will is one of man's biggest illusions. We all are certain of our free will but in fact we are pre-programmed biological computers, even if we don't want to admit it. The atoms which my brain is made of, were inside a sun, billions of years ago. Back then, they obeyed to the laws of nature perfectly and deterministically. Now, after that sun exploded, they formed our planet, me and my brain. I have no reason to believe that there is a spiritual essence in them now. They obey the laws of nature as before. My thoughts are electricity produced by brain cells. Therefore, a powerfull enough being could predict all my thoughts and actions, and even program them even since the beggining of the Universe. According to Heisenberg's principle, man is impossible to predict certain events, but that doesn't mean that a supreme being outside our Universe could't predict or predetermine them. So, we will never be able to predict the future but we don't have free will...we are programmed just as all the other molecules of matter in the Universe.
I think it doesn't matter anyway.
-If we have free will, then nothing changes inside us. We will continue to have the same feeling of freedom of choice (as we have now, because most of us believe in free will).
-If we don't have free will, then we shouldn't be worried because nothing is up to us! :)

Answer 8

actual some animals can snicker. I observed a gorilla snicker till now on youtube and to the fewer than remark: people are animals. an animal is an organism that has the homes of the animal kingdom. do you already know what kingdoms are. do you already know what self administration is? and ANIMALS HAVE BRAINS! yet now i'm questioning whether you have one lack of information.... with the help of how, even people are after their own desires. all movements are selfish. in case you provide nutrition to a homeless guy, you do it out of the desire to help somebody, the forged feeling you get once you help somebody. once you help your loved ones member you do it out of affection. the forged feeling you get once you help them. it is your individual want

Answer 9

We can be as free as are intelligence and the laws of physics allows us to be.