RE: A thing about religious (and other) people and the illusion of free will
November 9, 2023 at 9:44 pm
(This post was last modified: November 9, 2023 at 10:33 pm by Harry Haller.)
I think free will exists but it exists in a very narrow window.
Most of life is outside of our control. Events happen around us that we have no control over. Events have happened in the past that have created the present that we have no control over. Many of the decisions we feel like we make with our "free will" are heavily influenced by our genetic makeup and past experiences. We are largely predisposed to feel, think, and react in certain ways. Predisposition is not predetermination. We may feel led to think and react in certain ways but we can actively choose to follow those predispositions or go a different direction. Our free will is largely equal to our own self-control.
No person is free who cannot command themself - Pythagoras
Most of life is outside of our control. Events happen around us that we have no control over. Events have happened in the past that have created the present that we have no control over. Many of the decisions we feel like we make with our "free will" are heavily influenced by our genetic makeup and past experiences. We are largely predisposed to feel, think, and react in certain ways. Predisposition is not predetermination. We may feel led to think and react in certain ways but we can actively choose to follow those predispositions or go a different direction. Our free will is largely equal to our own self-control.
No person is free who cannot command themself - Pythagoras
