Implications of not having free will

[Mudhammam]

What I'm trying to say is that in a deterministic universe the future must be predetermined; which means that while I do choose based on the information I have about smoking, that choice is the only one I could have made.
This generally remains the same if the universe is not fully deterministic but we still don't have free will.

It's sort of like the paradox of arguing that a judge should not punish someone because they had no choice in committing a crime, when by the same logic the judge had no choice in punishing them.

See what I'm getting at?

Yeah, and I think I would agree. Do you think it can be seen as suggestive, as theists would probably argue, that properties of mind, or our concepts such as "truth" and "morality," have a metaphysical basis that is more fundamental in the grand scheme of things, i.e. the structure of reality, the fabric of the cosmos, the cement of the universe? Or is that, as some say (I think rightly), a meaningless question?

I have an essay by the great William James called the Dilemma of Determinism that I will probably get around to reading in a month or so. I expect he will offer some challenging remarks, and if so, I'll be sure to offer 'em up for the fun of playing devil's advocate. :-P