Philosophers like Sartre use human freedom as the fundamental basis for their ideas. But how do we know that it even exists? How do we know that actions are not merely the results of causes? Furthermore, how do they deal with developments in cognitive science that question the existence of a Self that is in full control of one's thoughts and actions?
2007-10-08 20:25:51 · 4 answers · asked by x8628034825 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I am inquiring about the existentialist position, rather than the question of free will in general.
2007-10-10 17:06:46 · update #1
In my view, it is more probable that our free will is merely an illusion to gratify our ego and is only an unexplored part of the grand system of cause and effect that is ruling this Universe...... we may be feeling the existence of free will only because of either our blind faith in God or due to our bloated ego.... that there is such an inviolable state of uncertainty all over, is another fact that negates any existence of free will. I think it may be the same story as miracle, where just because we can not establish any acceptable cause and effect relationship, we claim that miracles can happen.
Miracles as well as freewill may merely be our ignorant or arrogant beliefs devoid of reality. I would really be shocked if ever they are proved to exist beyond any doubt.
2007-10-08 20:47:28 · answer #1 · answered by small 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will has been a controversial issue in the history of Philosophy.
Is the will free?
One camp (the materialists) has maintained that the will is not free and that the actions we perform are governed by the general Principle of Causality.
The other camp (the Supernaturalists), on the other hand, has argued otherwise and maintained that the will is free and that the decisions to act voluntarily are not causally governed by prior conditions.
2007-10-08 21:13:00 · answer #2 · answered by Lance 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Surely the dubious subconscious is as whole as the conscious, and theatrically convincing at that. That relating to subconscious intelligence, there have been yields showing deterministically that the subconscious mind is surely not chained to destiny or that it is predetermined. Suggesting that free will exists is great, but saying that it is the result of causes is sublime. If the mind is not, what but a collection of experiences, then it is not, what if not odd.
2007-10-08 22:33:01 · answer #3 · answered by Qyn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
philosophy is a highway with many branches all leading nowhere
2007-10-08 20:28:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋