If I choose to do something, and my choice is influenced by my beliefs, and those beliefs are a reflection on the environment and society is which I was raised, do I truly ahve free will?
2007-07-29 03:06:41 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
In a deterministic universe no-one has free will, it is an illusion. Adding random quantum fluctuations doesn't really help. There is still no convincing argument for the existence of free will.
2007-07-29 03:09:24 · answer #1 · answered by fourmorebeers 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe it is true that our choices are guided by our beliefs and values, but it is possible to change ones values and challenge ones beliefs as we gain new knowledge and experience. Thank God ( or random chance, or karma) that I live in a free society.
2007-07-29 03:17:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a passion and predisposition to act civilly. And object tends to stay in motion unless acted on by other forces.
But if you believe in a God that has always known everything, you realise that all of your actions were predetermined.
Enjoy your passions within this illusion of free choice, just don't be too judgemental, but be protective of society and mankind and yourself.
2007-07-29 03:11:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is an excellent question.
You have kind of described the theory of (universal) 'determinism',
i.e. That everything is acted upon by a causal process, so this being the case, how could we possibly be 'free' of influence.
The answer depends whether or not one believes in the inner state of 'self', a self that can make choices regardless of external influence.
Whatever we believe, ...it's our own choice...or is it... ? ;-)
2007-07-29 03:26:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Life is a process of understanding your conditioning and therefore being at cause over the future. So, free will is a process, not a given.
2007-07-29 03:14:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course you have Free Will. Nobody or thing forced you to post this question, did it?
The same goes for the rest of your life and its decisions.
God will allow you the freedom to choose to reject Him and His route of salvation through Jesus.
And the penalty for rejecting Jesus is as serious as ever!
2007-07-29 03:15:14 · answer #6 · answered by Christmas Light Guy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it does, every decision you make is YOUR own.
Just because you are influenced by certain things throughout your life does not mean that your free will is taken away.
You still make decisions based on those influences.
2007-07-29 03:09:22 · answer #7 · answered by May 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have free will, but with that free will, there are always consequences.
2007-07-29 03:09:36 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
not in the flesh, freewill is in the mind only
2007-07-29 03:11:05 · answer #9 · answered by gasp 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋