An argument that your decisions are not your own!?

Question

Ok so here is my thinking...

Scientists can study an atom and predict exactly how it will react/behave in the next second.

If there was a computer powerful enough to know exactly what every atom in the entire universe was doing then would it also be reasonable to assume that a sufficiently powerful enough computer would then be able to predict exactly what would happen next EVERYWHERE? Does this argue the point that there is no such thing as freewill and that our lives are mapped out for us?

Cheers for the great answers guys and gals. I guess it was a nice idea but with no scientific grounding. Dam that uncertainty principle!!!

Answer 1

Scientists can't predict exactly what an atom will do at any moment- according to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. It's possible that there is only one thing it will, but it will be disturbed by observation. So if it's predictable, it's not observable by us. If organic life, including the human brain, is all a result of evolution, which was all a result of all particles- the cosmic dominoes- being lined up a certain way from the beginning, then even all human behavior is predictable, because it's just a result of the sum total of chemical behavior in the brain (which dictates behavior in a human being), and environment (which includes the behavior of sentient beings). If there were some sort of being that were capable of observing all particles in the universe, at any one point and capable of comprehending the significance of each of them- without disrupting anything- he would be able to predict everything that would happen, including human behavior. This is called "determinism". It's a rudimentary aspect of physics, but it just can't be proven, because we're not capable of non-Heisenberg observation, like the hypothetical being. In other words, there are no forks in the road- if you look closely enough. It's all one big game of particle mousetrap.

Anyone on here who says the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle rules out determinism is not thinking logically. All the Uncertainty Principle tells us is that if we are subject to determinism we are not capable of observing it. Our inability to see it, does not rule it out, though.

Did you know, there has never been a program on any computer that has been perfectly random? It's impossible.

Answer 2

Your talking about theories in Quantum Mechanics. I will inject something basic - Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principles that we cannot truly observe an object without affecting it. You can't observe a subatomic path without slightly changing its path why because of the tool you probably use to measure will somehow affect the path.

If we assume that we really have no freewill and our fate are sealed from something as significant as being promoted, winning noble peace price to something trivial like hitting our toes on the bed, deciding to wear this shirt. And some group of people is fated to build super computer that can predict everything. If this machine or computer is proven to predict everything that will happen.

What will you think a person's reaction will be for example knowing the building that he/she is in at some exact date and time will crumble and he/she will die buried there. He/She will probably remember that date and exact time and not be in the building, most probably right? But according to the computation of the computer the person is fated to be in that building when it collapse and die buried under rubbles.

Second example if a person finds out that he/she is destined for success and prestige. That he/she works hard and it pays. And no matter what he/she does it only makes him/her more successful. Subconciously it may make him/her work harder and happy or it will make him/her become lazy or a slacker. Will this not make an effect on the validity of the mapped life made by the computer? Or other people may start envying and try to put obstacles not originally in the computed or mapped life. Its possible right?

Of course the act that you want to change because of the information given to you makes you have no free will. For example if someone says "I believe you are a cheese burger guy and I always see your ordering cheese burger". Because you want to prove the person wrong you ordered a small salad does not make you a being with free will to choose. Your choice is affected.

So I really don't think if such computer is possible that someone can argue that people have no freewill or that lives are mapped. Until such computer can be build and the algorithm or rule is determined and proven that it is infallable. No one can prove that lives are mapped or there is no free will. But once that machine is build and future events can be seen. How can one argue that fate cannot be changed and lives not mapped? Once you have knowledge of future outcome the tendency to put more or prevent.

Answer 3

When we take Quantum Physics into account, the whole point of infinite possiblities and random paths comes into play. Quantum Mechanics tells us that an atom can pop out of existance and reappear elsewhere. (Maybe thats why we're forgetful =P) So in thoery we can walk through walls, but the sheer number of atoms present prohibits this. Taking the same arguement, each atom has the ability to be random and so will not conform to prediction. There is also the uncertainty principle that dictates that something is not guarenteed to occur constantly.

Very interesting though

Answer 4

Your thesis is critically flawed. The Uncertainty Principle states that you cannot know both the position (where it is) and momentum (where it is going) to an infinite degree of precision. Because Planck's Constant is not zero, the most amount of accuracy possible is delta x times delta momentum will be at least Planck's Constant divided by 4*Pi

Thus an inherent amount of uncertainty proves that you are forced to have free will.

Answer 5

Good idea but not true,

This is due to the Uncertainty Principal

Electrons have 2 properties - position and velocity (speed + direction)

The more yuo know one, the more you alter the other. That is, the more you find out exactly where a particle is, the more you alter its velocity.

Conversly, the more accuratly you determine its velocity, the more you alter its position.

The result is that its impossible to know where and who a particle is travelling meaning that you can never predict where it will be in a small time period as you cannot accurately identify it now.

Answer 6

Quantum physics injects randomness. So no.

Also the fact that it is impossible if not improbable to know everything at once which at the very least gives the ILLUSION of free will.

If theres a dog behind one of two doors and you don't know beforehand which door, you still have to choose one door to open. Its still your choice.

Even if you know everything which means your past present and future is mapped would it make your life any less meaningful? Your life and your choices are still unique and no one can ever do the same since two points can't occupy the same space.

Answer 7

The only computer large enough to do the calculation, assuming it could be done, which Quantum theory doubts, is the universe itself.

Answer 8

Man will always control the computer and this entails freewill

Answer 9

ooooooooh, great question!

But no, because everything doesn't always go according to plan!