what do you think of this free will philosophy?

Question

NOTE-WAIT FOR A WILE FOR THE REST TO SHOW UP OK

a choice is a free action made by a person that causes the world to be one way rather than another.


We have examples of mechanistic "choosers" -- computer programs, for example, that execute decision trees. Those programs, although they "choose" in a sense, do not possess free will, because their choices are not "free". (Their "choices" are only analogous to ours.)

How can a choice be free? At least three things must be true:


A) The chooser must be the cause of an event,


B) The chooser must have been able to do something else, and


C) The chooser must have known that the result would likely occur.

A) is self-evident, I hope -- if you wanted to fly but couldn't, you didn't choose to fly -- but it has interesting and somewhat unpopular consequences, believe it or not. More below.


(B) is important because it differentiates us from rocks. Rocks can be the causes of events (along with the laws of physics, etc.), but they can't choose to do anything other than follow the laws of ballistics.


(C) is self-evident, too. If someone thinks that a clothes iron is cool, puts his hand on it, and burns himself, then he did not choose to burn himself even if he _did_ choose to put his hand on the iron.


Recall that I say that the soul is the seat of free will, and let's discuss these ideas with respect to their implications about the soul.

A) is unpopular, even though it's obvious, because people don't think about the consequences of not-A. Most people are essentially "dualists", which means they believe that souls are "pure spirits" and have nothing to do with "the physical world". But this is a complete irrationality; if the soul matters at all, then it must affect our actions, which means that it must be a _physical_ reality, whatever else it may be. If I am right, the soul exists "in the world" just as much as magnetism and railroad tracks, and dualism (as most people talk about it) is an obviously and inherently foolish belief.

Although (B)'s purpose is only to differentiate us from rocks, it also eliminates the possibility of free will in a physically deterministic universe. In a physically deterministic universe, any choice I have was predetermined by the laws of physics and the configuration of matter at the Big Bang. What I do tomorrow is already determined, and I have no more choice about it than a drop of water has about going over a waterfall.

B) is more popular, but still has people who argue against it. Most are atheists and materialists. Daniel Dennett, for example, argues that the only way we could possibly have free will is through determinism. Anything that is not determined is a matter of chance, after all -- chaos, not freedom. And he's right, as far as he goes. The problem is that he then suggests that *physical* determinism is freedom, thereby providing no viable way that I can see of differentiating us from rocks, cancer cells, or stardust. I must admit that we may be exactly as free as those things, but I don't believe that we are (and I'll show below that it's foolish to believe that we are, regardless of the evidence).

I don't really know about the popularity of (C), but I assume it would be reasonably popular. I don't see any way to argue against it.


It's important to note that the above combination essentially eliminates chance. I can't be the cause of something, know that I'm the cause of something, and have the ability to do something else, and still say that my actions are random.

thats it not tottaly but yeah thats it.^_^

no this is my question(but not my work)

thanks love you too man(im not gay)

once again its not my work but was one of the most briliant essays i have every read.^_^

i like your answer blanser.^_^

Answer 1

Very good lot of common sense explained in theory for no reason. Agreed i like it. Even though i had to read it twice to be able to understand it properly

Thank you wise one for imparting knowledge of no consequence upon us

. love you dude :( : | :)

Answer 2

I believe this statement to be true. This choice is free because God grant me freewill...I may do what I choose, however there will be consequences regardless, the "every action causes a reaction" theory. I will use abortion as my argument.
A) Being the chooser, I cause the event
B) Being the chooser, I had the choice to do something different
C) Being the chooser, I knew the results
and D (which I've added) Being the chooser, I have the choice to decide when I will perish including anything that's "part" of my body.

This has nothing to do with greed as some would like to believe. It has everything to do with my own body, hence the free will.
Good question and good luck!

Answer 3

I think it stinks. Neither A, B, or C have anything to do with it. A- The chooser is never a cause because he never makes anything happen.
B- The chooser is not able, that's when the thought of choice comes in.
C- The chooser never knows any result, it's a surprise. The only thing the chooser can TRY to realize is how little and/or nothing he knows about everything.

Nice try though!0!

The secret of Freedom of Will is Freedom to Will, but before you can do that, you need to have Will to Freedom.

Good luck!

Answer 4

That's a wonderfully explained question!!

I have difficulty in accepting freewill where one can only choose a likely result.... which means one can only choose to aim for one of the possible results and the eventual result may or may not be as chosen. Since future is ever uncertain, our so-called freewill is no different than a gambler's bet however knowledgeable it may be or not. As a result, we have effective freewill only in minor matters such as when and what to have for lunch today, etc. etc. and all major issues such as timing of death or gender/quality of offspring, winning the love of our beloved etc. etc. happen in accordance with some other will than our own freewill.

I have had no formal education in philosophy or topics such as freewill... what I have stated is just the way I see it as the layman.

Answer 5

all 3 things you stated are true, depends on the chooser and what they want after they have chosen..yeah thats all im gonna say cuz your question was wayyy too long so yeah, have fun!

Answer 6

we should all think alike for the good of future mankind..but greed always gets in the way

Answer 7

It is too late to be thinking so hard. Too deep for me.
That is my 'free will'. Not to answer this.

Answer 8

So, was this question you ask.. "free will" or did someome tell you to ask.