Determinism.....

[Amphora]

Depends what you mean 'make our own choices'. Do you mean the simple fact that we make choices, or do you mean that we can force our own choices despite the fact that the part of us that does the choosing, the part of that we call 'us', that we call our 'self'...is the brain and is what makes the choices. IOW: How can you control your brain with your brain? Your brain does the controlling!

Exactly your brain does the controlling! The BRAIN controls sensation, muscles, glandular activity, and the power to think and feel. From my esthetician book anatomy and physiology chapter nervous system part.

Do you just mean the undeniable fact that we make choices?

Yes. When I am thirsty I can choose to have a glass of water or what I am really thinking a nice cold beer sounds better. In the end I will decide.

What do you mean by 'make our own'?

I can choose to go out tonight or not that is my choice.

I'm what's known as a pessimistic compatibilist then it seems, according to Wikipedia. Because I would say I believe in indeterminacy, at least Quantum indeterminacy , and I would say I was an indeterminist on the whole: But I nevertheless, don't believe in free will.

Oh so you believe:

is the belief that free will and determinism are logically incompatible categories.[1] This could include believing that determinism is reality, therefore free will is an illusion (hard determinism), or that free will is true, therefore determinism is not (libertarianism), or even that neither determinism nor free will is true (pessimistic incompatibilism).[2]

I found this on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compatibili...patibilism

And that is your choice, you choose not to believe in free will. And thats ok.

Amp