My daughter had to pick colleges. As the "all knowing parent", I already knew she would she would want to choose a college away from home and in a big city (we live in a small town in the South). Now it was NOT my personal preference for her but I told her, she was free to choose.
It's not my giving her the freedom to chose itself that makes it free will. It's FREE will because I NEVER laid a guilt trip or promise a reward for choosing my preferred college. Nor did I threaten punishment if she didn't choose my preferred college.
According to the Oxford Dictionary; Free will is not only freedom from inevitable fate but the ability to choose without necessity or constraint. If a choice is coerced or bribed it is NOT freewill. I didn't like my daughter's choice but I know her respect and love for me grew because I let her choose freely. She never expected or feared a repercussion from me.
Do you think this is the correct definition of free will? If not, why not?
2007-08-28 09:19:00 · 17 answers · asked by pixie_pagan 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
And by the way it was NOT easy to smile and be supportive about her choice. LOL!
I often think of what would happen if she were say mugged in the city. I hope I am big enough of a person not to gloat or be unsympathetic. I think as a loving parent, you would still love, comfort, help and welcome your child.
2007-08-28 09:30:45 · update #1
Excellent!
I gave you a gold star. :-) I totally agree with that definition.
The christian definition of their god's gift to them of "free will" is flawed because free will is not challenged by punishment for choosing the wrong path, so to speak.
2007-08-28 09:25:02 · answer #1 · answered by DaveFrehley 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Free will is NOT an illusion. It is a part of being a rational animal that understands the consequences (positive or negative) of one's choices and actions.
You made the right decision in allowing your daughter to choose her school. She has developed a certain set of values that she'll base this decision on and it's time to let her test these values. She sees something of value in going off on her own and to a big city.
It sounds like you have a reasonable and sound relationship with your daughter. Maybe you can reach an agreement on a college that's not too far away and is still in a big city?
2007-08-28 09:31:16 · answer #2 · answered by scheidemann2007 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically, no, although your actions were appropriate and wise. Free will has classically meant the ability to choose an action for oneself rather than that there be some deity which is pushing your buttons behind the scenes. Physically, there is no such thing as free will; if one could note all the sensory data that a person had acquired throughout a lifetime, one could predict what the person would do in any given situation. But this is of course impossible, and "free will" is a model that works well.
2007-08-28 09:27:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, but what if your daughter decided to skip college and become an exotic dancer would you have infringed on her free will then? I'm not trying to be a smart a** but I think I know what you're getting at. When you consider heaven and hell, the choice it is much closer to that than it is to choosing between two decent options.
2007-08-28 09:35:28 · answer #4 · answered by Thom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Free will is not only freedom from inevitable fate but the ability to choose without necessity or constraint"
i dont agree with the addition of "without necessity or constraint"
i think it is more the ability to choose,
even if there are constraints. your daughter had to choose a school, she could have chosen no school at all.
2007-08-28 09:26:19 · answer #5 · answered by gjmb1960 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Searching a dictionary for the meaning of the scriptures is like being hungry, but instead of eating, you scratch your foot instead. It's like having cancer, but instead of going to an oncologist, you go the a veterinarian instead.
If you really want to know the meaning of the scriptures, here is the best study Bible I have ever found.
Life Application Bible ~ New International Version.
This Bible has commentary on each page that explain what the scriptures mean, in an easy-to-understand way.
What if your daughter decided not to go to college, but, instead, to get all her education from Yahoo Q&A, would you agree with her?
That's what you would be doing if you relied on Yahoo's Q&A to educate you about the Bible.
2007-08-28 09:34:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
In a biblical context free will is a contradiction.
If god is all knowing, had a plan for everything, and acts omnisciently he can make any changes he sees fit then nothing is free will and everything is according to god's will and god's plan.
Free will becomes an excuse for evil, when in reality its just human creatures determining what is good or evil because of our advanced consciousness as the top animals of the earth with a brain that can theorize such a distinction among our actions.
2007-08-28 09:26:05 · answer #7 · answered by Memetics 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Young Pagan,
I suppose that you are referring to GOD'S Free Will not being so. If you are truly a "Pagan" or an "Atheist" then you have no belief in our FATHER anyway and freewill in that case does not exist, does it?? What you have given your daughter is unrestricted freewill. I have not been that good with my children but they are able to make their own choices. They are all either college grads or attending as they choose. Have a wonderful week.
Thanks,
Eds
.
2007-08-28 09:29:31 · answer #8 · answered by Eds 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think there are something else missing here...
Free will...and the freedom to choose comes with responsabilities, with maturity and ...with money...u might like to explain this to ur daughter
2007-08-28 09:27:16 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Free will is the ability to make a choice. However, choices made do have consequences.
2007-08-28 09:27:46 · answer #10 · answered by Mr. E 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋