(May 8, 2016 at 1:48 pm)Losty Wrote: I don't agree or disagree. I don't care about it that much. I feel like I have free will. That's all that matters really. Maybe everything is externally determined. Oh well. I don't have any control over that. So I just go on feeling like I'm making my own choices even though I'm actually not. As long as it's not another person forcing me to do something then I suppose it doesn't really matter.
For the most part I operate exactly the same way too. It's only in my more dispassionate moments of reflection when I feel it helps me calm down and recognize that no one is the ultimate cause of their own behavior, even when malicious bullies treat me like shit... I find it easier to deal with their behavior when I dispassionately reflect on how their behavior is a problem to be dealt with and ultimately I'm just lucky I'm not them.
But even if I did believe in free will I'd say I'd still be a very forgiving person and very non-vengeful, but if I really thought people were the ultimate causes of their actions then when someone did a very immoral act it would make more logical sense to say they 'deserved' punishing because they 'could have done otherwise' but without free will that doesn't even make sense.
For the most part I behave on autopilot and feel free and behave like I have free will, but I realize I don't whenever I reflect on it.
-Hammy
