Free will...?

Question

I've recently began to consider the idea that we humans do not actually have free will at all, and that everything we do is predetermined, either by our genetic predispositions or our environment, or a combination of both. The theory that we have no free will is called determinism. Too much to explain but wikipedia has a great article on it.

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

Anyone have any opinions on this, or find this theory very depressing? Intelligent answers only please. Thanks.

Answer 1

"The determinist's position amounts to the following. "My mind does not automatically conform to facts, yet I have no choice about its course. I have no way to choose reality to be my guide as against subjective feeling, social pressure, or the falsifications inherent in being only semiconscious. If and when I distort the evidence through sloppiness or laziness, or place popularity above logic, or evade out of fear, or hide my evasions from myself under layers of rationalizations and lies, I have to do it, even if I realize at the time how badly I am acting. Whatever the irrationalities that warp and invalidate my mind's conclusion on any issue, they are irresistible, like every event in my history, and could not have been otherwise." If such were the case, a man could not rely on his own judgement. He could claim nothing as objective knowledge, including the theory of determinism." [Ayn Rand]

Answer 2

Well, first of all I don't think that the future is completely determined by genetics and environment--there's quite a bit of randomness as well. I think you have to ask yourself if you do have free will, then how are decisions made. Personally I think decisions are made by analyzing a situation and choosing the best option. This does not require the existence of free well. If you find a lack of free will bothersome, then remember that if you define your environment as everything around you excluding yourself, then that definitely doesn't conrol your future.

Answer 3

i dont think it can be verified that determinism exist. If the outcome of an event and its prediction are not the same there is always the escape route that 'there was not enough information' to calculate the correct outcome. It is a bity the same as saying that god does exist ( or does not exist ).

Answer 4

Don't be silly. We all have freewill. I could have chosen to ignore this question or to answer it. We can all choose what we do, where we go, how we feel. People who don't want to take responsibility for their lives will try to blame outside forces & say that they had no choice but the truth is that our lives are in our hands. Everything in our lives, we chose (whether by our actions or by default). It's the law of attraction. You draw things to you by nature of your thoughts and the universe responds and gives you what you expect, good or bad. Every day, every moment is a chance to turn it all around. You are free to decide what you want your life to be & make it so.

If you think your life is pre-determined and you have no choice then you are actually choosing that because you have the freewill to do so.

We are all the authors of our own fate. That may be the best news or the worst news you've ever heard...We have no one to blame but ourselves if we are unhappy.