'choosing' thoughts.

[athoughtfulman]

Sorry, but I can't believe I'm reading that.

Here is a definition of free will for you:

1) free and independent choice; voluntary decision: You took on the responsibility of your own free will.
2) Philosophy. the doctrine that the conduct of human beings expresses personal choice and is not simply determined by physical or divine forces.

Free will is about what we do, not what we want to do. Just because I want to fly like a bird and can't doesn't mean my free will doesn't exist. Free will is about whether we can make independent decisions that aren't influenced by physics. I think free will exists because physics has shown us some truly random events, and al the evidence currently points towards an indeterministic view of the universe.

The other reason is that determinism doesn't really make much sense to me. It means that all information has simply sprung out of nothing. The fact that we are having this conversation was already pre-determined at the start of all time. I think this is a completely non-nonsensical view.

I also dislike determinism for the social effects it would have. People cannot go around thinking everything is "fate" because the invariably leads to people abandoning morality because what they do "will have always happened". It's a dangerous notion.

Duly noted It was simply me taking an idea of free will to its extreme, not me proposing an absolute definition of free will.

As far as an actual definition goes, I believe you've hit the nail on the head.

This argument about the existence of free will is not disputing that we can do - It's disputing what the mechanics are concerning how we want. Just because physics seem random, doesn't mean they are. That's the problem of science when concerning philosophical matters. Sure, at this point, it might seem random. But science works by continually unwrapping the mystery of the environment around us, so one day we might discover the equation of the universe and if everything is planned.

Because it's a philosophical question, it's more of an opinion than anything else. I don't believe in free will (for why, see above) - you do. We're just looking at things in a different way.

All information from nothing? No, not necessarily. All I'm proposing is that we don't actually choose. As far as everything else, it just means there is some reason that they are here. Or take science, go back to the beginning of evolution? What made the big bang? And if you know that, what made that thing? And so on. I'm not about to start parading god exists because there needs to be a first cause either I just want to illustrate the fact that there is a reason for something; for everything. Even if it's only scientific.

Of course it's a dangerous motion. And it's a dangerous idea. Look at the way some people respond when you tell them free will doesn't exist. Some get angry, some refuse to talk about it, some don't even listen let alone understand. And I know what you mean - if no one believes in free will, doesn't that mean that they can do whatever they want, since they didn't really choose to do it?

No! I don't believe in free will, but I'll always live like I do. I appreciate the fact that everything feels random, and that I can 'choose' but I find it naive to think that I'm in control of my life. So even if no one believed in free will, I would still tell them to act as though they did. Just because I don't believe in it, doesn't mean I don't feel like it.

I think it's a bit of a funny idea. And intriguing. And I know it's philosophical and just an opinion, not a fact. It's just the way I look at it.