Do human beings possess free will? Or is human behavior and action causally determined?

Answer 1

In my view, freewill is a grand illusion boosting our ego (thereby causing more harm than good). Let's look at it this way. This universe is governed by the inviolable principle of cause and effect. Nothing happens unless caused..... and no cause goes without precipitating its effect. In fact the entire range of events happening is nothing but a grand complex chain of cause and effect where every cause brings an effect and that effect then becomes the cause for another effect and so on and on. Hence it is obvious that whatever choices we make are also caused and if we believe the cause is our will then that will is also caused by something else... just because we may be unaware of what caused our will does not mean that we originated it out of nowhere. Moreover, even if we assume there is freewill, it is really impotent in the sense that in the wake of all pervading uncertainty, our willing is no guarantee that what we willed would actually be made to happen... hence what is the point of a freewill that may or may not bear the expected consequence or fruit and we have no way to guarantee the result one way or the other?

So, we may just relax and not take any unnecessary burden on our mind assuming as though we are doing either good or bad by exercising our freewill... the truth is that all of us are just wading in ignorance through uncertain waters and fooling ourselves as though we are or can do either good or bad by willing. Whatever we believe as a choice made by us is invariably influenced by several factors many of which we are conscious of, but more of which may be brought into being through our subconscious and still other factors may even be external to us without our knowledge..... is it not true that many a times we ourselves wonder why we made a particular choice... is it also not true that many a times we make such a choice as we would never have thought we would ever make..... is it not further true that we do make subtle moves to influence other people to choose what we prefer... the list is too long, but the gist is short and clear to me, namely that all our choices are caused and there are many a causes beyond our knowledge and control even as we may arrogantly believe that we exercised our freewill....... the will is predetermined based on various causal events preceding it, some of which may be traced within our own experiences but not necessarily all of them all the time....... freewill is not quite FREE nor self sustaining!!

Answer 2

This is a very tough question but I'd say we all have have a pre-destined life. The only evidence I can think of to support this is that we have, or at least I do, have deja vu's. But than again we could have a different dreams every night of possible places the future will lead us than once we see one we are familiar with we recognize it as a deja vu. Than again we could only recognize it because we've seen it again, but what about the other dreams we had but never come true. We won't pay any attention to them since they have no consequence on you, so I imagine we have some sort of free will in which dream we eventually will fullfill during our life time. But than again we will all eventually be dead so free will or not you can't escape that.

Answer 3

it depends on what philosophy you believe in. if you believe in Essentialism then you believe that human beings has a ready-made essence therefore there are such things as destiny, fatalism, determinism, etc. but if you follow the philosophy of Existentialism if says that humans has no ready-made essence. Existentialism says that existence precedes essence while Essentialism says that essence precedes existence. you cannot really mix these two philosophy. therefore, they both say that if you have a predestined life no matter what you do with you free will you will have what is destined for you. so if you are destined to be a failure no matter what you do you shall be a failure. if you are destined to be a hero then you shall be a hero. while the other said you shall be a failure or a hero if you choose to be one. lastly both are giving you the chance to choose which philosophy you want to follow.

Answer 4

I think human behavior is casually determined, because everything can be traced back to simple physical elements, such as chemicals running through your brain and the exact position of neurons in your head. Even "free will" choices like deciding to go to work in the morning can be calculated if one knows the exact processes within one's mind and the precise factors within one's head. This is practically impossible, but I believe it happens this way.

Answer 5

sure,i've got faith so. And,...... trusting that u comprehend what ur speaking approximately-i recommend this quoting john locke,i'd say this. while you're maximum appropriate on your interpreting of Locke;then i think of we would desire to constantly say that a definite form of western christianity "have faith that their lives are predestined by utilising god".That the others who have not got faith this AND use freewill "would be condemned- to-loss of life"isn't something wanting a threat.no depend if by utilising you and or Locke,or by utilising Calvin as properly.you may think of that the religion of Protestantism would have some significant message here. yet i will assure you that grievance(and grievance of all or any religions)that NO faith can get away ideal and rightous intense argument-consequently NO faith would be ideal- i cite the all-pervasive-and-ALL-religious grievance of the "parable" of the probable christian guy who in the time of jesus, "walked on the different component". We in our so-talked approximately as modern-day cases comprehend properly of those words that i comprehend are from and taught in the christian custom. I have not got any doubt in besides that they practice to all the different religions too. For me,i'm confident. That Protest-tantism replaced into on the brink of the element;the element being that as our greater useful and elders are as ineffective as we are; consequently we would desire to constantly be better careful in our grievance; and that we too are allways susceptible to-walk-on-the-different component(!) yet dont difficulty too lots approximately this- you're as lots human because of the fact the subsequent individual;and the place you at the instant are not,you could learn some greater.