It seems as though most are having trouble w/ this Q about free will?

Question

If our minds are dictated by the chemical reactions going on inside our brains, then is it really anyone's "fault" if they break the law? Isn't doing so just abnormal behavior/psychosis that could be "corrected" through therapy and/or medication?

If we are nothing but chemical reactions, then why punish criminals? To do so is to deny an individual's "wiring". If we are something more, what is it and why are we the only species that has this consciousness?

This is admittedly a difficult Q, but let's think things through here a little and take each to their respective, ultimate ends.

Answer 1

You hit the nail on the head with this one.

If it is true that there is no God, and thus we are only a byproduct of the events that brought us into existence, then we are NOT culpable. There is no "right" or "wrong". We can not say that "What Johnny did in stealing the candy was wrong". We can only say WHAT Johnny did.

But taken to the nth degree, what Hitler did was only an action (or reaction to his environment), what the "terrorists" did on 9/11 was only an action. We can not criticize ANY behavior just because it disagrees with what we believe.

And ultimately, as you point out, criminals should not be punished. They are merely living out THEIR "alternative" lifestyle, which happens to be different from MY lifestyle.

Or, in the words of the apostle, "We might as well say, 'Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.' "

But, when you get down to it, we all know better, and we know that there are moral absolutes. Even atheists I've spoke with say they have moral standards, even though they can't explain WHY they have moral standards in a universe that evolved.

But the bottom line is, we ARE morally accountable before God for the choices we make, and we WILL have to face judgement, even if one escapes judgement here on earth, there is still judgement to come.

Answer 2

Assuming our minds are dictated by chemical reactions in our brains, then to say someone is abnormal for doing criminal behavior is purely subjective. Why should we even try to "correct" the person through therapy? 　Because he/she does not subscribe to the same values as the majority (or at least the group with the strongest influence) does, and because the actions of that individual is not tolerated. For example, if someone were to walk around town in a chicken suit, the majority would think he was crazy, but not threatening. If the guy in the chicken suit were chasing children as they walked home from school, I think he might be picked up for questioning. Of course, it depends on the neighborhood. Therefore, in order to protect the majority, we need to put away the minority that we cannot tolerate. Perhaps this means that our current correctional facilities are serving their purpose; keeping the "law breaking" minority hidden away from the general public so they can live happy lives. 　Why try and fix a problem that is natural yet intolerable when you can simply tuck it away?

To be honest, I don't subscribe to this view, mainly because I don't believe in the premise of the question. But if I did, the above would be my answer.

Answer 3

O.k., humans and dolphins are the only species who have sex for the pleasure of it. This being the case, there is obviously something more than chemical reactions going on. The law of nature has a set guideline for survival. The lesser, weaker, deformed and abnormal get left behind or killed for the betterment of the species as a whole. Humans do not do such because we have evolved into a different level of consciousness. We are animals, but we have learned to act instead of react. It is a matter of reason and learning which enables us to think and decide. Some people know the difference between "right and wrong" in the extreme, such as killing without proper reason, as in defending your life or that of another, yet we CHOOSE the wrong. Only if one does not know the difference through teaching and experience, which can only happen if one has lived as a solitary hermit for ever with not even animals to observe, can they be devoid of fault - that or if they have a severe mental condition.

None of this has anything to do with "god", as christianity did NOT invent morality - nor does it dictate such.

Answer 4

Punishment is carried out with the intent of reducing the amount of crime, and satisfying society's desire for revenge on the wrongdoer. These two factors are known in moral philosophy as the recidivist and the retributive aspect of punishment.

Both of these factors are *considered* to be 'moral', but their actual morality is largely irrelevant. The important fact is that they work - reasonably - and they also appear satisfactory and just to people in the society.

In fact, it's interesting to consider how the two factors could be better applied. People who park in fire and ambulance spots might actually cause loss of life if the worst happens. What if the penalty for illegal parking was death?

The deterrent effect of this would be enormous. Parking violations would vanish overnight.

In contrast, consider the penalty for 9/11-style terrorist atrocities. The people who carry them out are completely unaffected by the death penalty that such crimes carry. So why bother? It would be more sensible and efficient simply to fine those who commit such acts - something to cover court costs and give something positive back to society. A few hundred dollars should do it.

CD

Answer 5

This question is far to broad to be answered accurately here I think.

However, for a start, I do not believe that we are merely the product of chemical reactions. But as a true Atheist, I also have an unwavering sense of reality that has no room whatsoever for a god or any other kind of higher being.

If we are indeed more than the sum of our parts, it is within us as individuals and has nothing to do with the supernatural or paranormal.

Answer 6

Hello randyken.. :)

This is not a difficult question at all.. :)

I have No one or Anything to blame but "myself"..It was "my" fault I was not a good mother, a drug addict, a hate monger, greedy and selfish..("not any chemical imbalance or reaction in my brain").. :(

This is just another excuse to blame something other than ourselves, for our own weakness and shortcomings.. :(

For without drugs or therapy of any kind, my life changed over night..

The Holy Spirit that the Lord bestowed deep within my heart..Stopped me from doing drugs, I no longer hated anyone, I was a great and loving Mom, I give to all that are in need and I put others before that of myself.. :)

I say the below in Love.. :)

What does this difficult Q have for an answer to what happens in lives that ask Christ to be their Lord and Savior..


In Jesus Most Precious Name..
With Love..In Christ.. :)

Answer 7

Not a difficult question at all. Our minds are not DICTATED by anything at all. We think and nerve impulses race along from cell to cell in our brain, but we have free will. We decide what to do with our lives. We are not "nothing but chemical reactions" as you put it. And you are using the word consciousness imprecisely. Animals are conscious, and some can recognize themselves. Some have language. Humans are not alone in some of these things. However, we are told by God that we are different from animals. We are made in his image and we have a soul.

Answer 8

XLent Q. Yet, chemical REACTION? What are these chemicals reacting to? Thoughts? Free will is the freedom to choose our thoughts. Then those chemicals react to them. Thought comes first. Everything is a thought form.

Answer 9

Whether a crime is committed out of free will or because of chemical reactions, the person committing the crime is a danger to society. Medical treatment and/or confinement are necessary.

Answer 10

We know that much of human behavior is guided by thought, no matter what chemical system underlies this. If rewarding correct behavior and punishing unwanted behavior has the desired effect, then the reasons for doing so are self evident.