RE: Free Will: Fact or Fiction
September 26, 2012 at 6:24 am
(This post was last modified: September 26, 2012 at 6:31 am by genkaus.)
It's weird how in discussions about free-will vs determinism, people forget exactly why they care about the question in the first place. Suppose you did have metaphysical free-will - that is, your actions are not determined by any cause. Set aside the fact that there is not evidence of such a thing - but if you are fighting for the concept, there must be a reason for it. Basically, people argue for free-will because they are uncomfortable with the idea of not being in control of their actions. But in case of metaphysical free-will, i.e. will without cause, you are still not in control of your actions. They are essentially causeless.
I, for one. believe in free-will. I believe that our actions are completely determined by the chemical/neurological processes in our minds. I also believe that the sum total of those processes define who we are. Thus, I believe that our will, while free from any external forces or causes, is still determined completely by us.
No, but I chose what I'd learn.
No, but I chose which parts to accept from it and which to reject.
No, but I chose what to do with them.
Parts of them, yeah.
Wrong. Given that we can change our desires.
This part is pure garbage. You can throw it out - as it were.
I, for one. believe in free-will. I believe that our actions are completely determined by the chemical/neurological processes in our minds. I also believe that the sum total of those processes define who we are. Thus, I believe that our will, while free from any external forces or causes, is still determined completely by us.
(September 25, 2012 at 5:58 pm)Reasonable_Jeff Wrote: Did you choose your parents or what they would teach you?
No, but I chose what I'd learn.
(September 25, 2012 at 5:58 pm)Reasonable_Jeff Wrote: Did you choose the time period and culture that you would be born in?
No, but I chose which parts to accept from it and which to reject.
(September 25, 2012 at 5:58 pm)Reasonable_Jeff Wrote: Did you choose the opportunities that would be made available to you in life?
No, but I chose what to do with them.
(September 25, 2012 at 5:58 pm)Reasonable_Jeff Wrote: Did you choose your personality or preferences?
Parts of them, yeah.
(September 25, 2012 at 5:58 pm)Reasonable_Jeff Wrote: On top of all that, you at all times choose what you most desire, our decisions are chained/limited by what our greatest desire is (you can have conflicting ones).....but we can't even choose our desires.
Wrong. Given that we can change our desires.
(September 25, 2012 at 5:58 pm)Reasonable_Jeff Wrote: I believe only God can change your desire. I believe that by nature people do not find God appealing.
It's only by God's intervening that anyone would see a relationship with Him as desirable or even plausible.
I believe that (for real Christians) God changes the desires of your heart and allows you to see Him as He is....glorious.
These are my opinions as a Reformed Christian. I am not stating them as fact so please no "prove it" statements. I'm simply wanting to throw in as it were.
This part is pure garbage. You can throw it out - as it were.
