Do you believe in free will?

[genkaus]

Thanks Genkaus, I'm at work, and I'll re-read that a bit more carefully later, but you have clarified your position much more clearly from my initial read through.

As a matter of "considering the choices", what is your opinion on the number of studies that show that the conscious merely rationalises the decisions made by the unconscious (Dr Libet et al and repetitions).

This very much calls into question that we are making conscious choices at all.

I'd have to get back to you regarding specific details, but a cursory reading on Wikipedia implies that Libet's experiments correlate in part to my final unanswered questions.

Firstly, Libet's experiments concern the pre-motor buildup, in layman's terms, the urge to act. With regards to my conceptualization of free-will, the first question would be if these urges would be a part of the agent ? Not all physiological urges can be considered to be the "internal constraints" and not all can be excluded as such either.

Secondly, if these urges are considered as external constraints, how far do they constraint the agent to act according to them? According to Libet,

Libet finds that conscious volition is exercised in the form of 'the power of veto' (sometimes called "free won't"[8][9]); the idea that conscious acquiescence is required to allow the unconscious buildup of the readiness potential to be actualized as a movement. While consciousness plays no part in the instigation of volitional acts, Libet suggested that it may still have a part to play in suppressing or withholding certain acts instigated by the unconscious. Libet noted that everyone has experienced the withholding from performing an unconscious urge.

Which, I think, means "not completely". Until I study more on this topic, I probably shouldn't comment any further.

---

Where would be a good place to start so a substance dualist can jump into the conversation?

To a substance dualist, I'd say - the Empire State Building.

To my knowledge there has been little talk of substance dualism here and monism has been more or less implicitly accepted, though not explicitly stated. Best to start the discussion yourself and we can take it from there.