If free will was not real

[Edwardo Piet]

Oh, I'm a total Dan Dennnett fangirl. Except for the appeal to consequences in his arguments for compatibilism.

What appeal to consequence argument is that? I'd love to hear about it!

And brights. Not really on board with calling myself a "bright."

Yeah that makes my balls cringe. I don't like it when they cringe.

That's why I love arguing about free will with you, Hammy. It's so...stimulating

I also enjoy it. It's a yummy argument.

You called him Gottfried... I am hungry for your mind.

Please feast on it. I certainly enjoy feasting on yours. It's only fair to share.

You know...I'm considering changing my mind about compatibilism in light of your post.

The fact you allow me to influence your sexy brain makes me feel powerful. I like feeling powerful.

Ours really is a semantic difference, and my primary concern has been that people tend to conflate determinism with fatalism. And that's a problem, but is it worse than believing in contra-causal free will?

Those are my exact two concerns too! I feel like explaining the difference between fatalism and not having free will is easier. I try to explain how our intentions are part of the causal stream, that we are part of the universe and just because I don't believe in free will doesn't mean I can just sit around and let life happen. I still have to be motivated to get things done.

If compatibilism denies both, then it's strictly better than determinism, but as you point out, people are going to conflate compatibilism with libertarianism. I've got to think about this...

I make you think? But you're so smart! That makes me feel good

I agree with Dan Dennett that compatabilist free will is a version of free will worth wanting... but most people don't just want that. They want contra-causal free will. They know when people are coerced they don't have absolute omnipotent magical free will, but they like to believe that they do have absolute magical freedom when they are not cooerced. They may indeed have a identity crisis or even go into a depression when they learn they are not as free as they think they are: but the truth sometimes does hurt but they should still face it.

They do not however need to despair completely or resign themselves to fatalism.