RE: Theists: How can predetermined fate and free will coexist?
December 15, 2016 at 9:07 am
(This post was last modified: December 15, 2016 at 9:18 am by Anomalocaris.)
(December 15, 2016 at 6:15 am)Alex K Wrote: iow, I propose that all logically consistent and well defined notions of free will are compatible with determinism.
In what sense is it free?
(December 15, 2016 at 6:10 am)Alex K Wrote: I don't think free will in the way you would like to have it can exist at all, to me, it doesn't really figure into the equation whether the universe is deterministic or not.
Also, even if the universe is not deterministic, that does not mean it's free. It also does not mean there truly is any sort of will. It merely mean more than one outcome is possible provided one define what constitute an outcome specifically enough. The notional unpredictable dice has no free will.
For me, the closest approximation to an empirical definition of free will would be if the possessor of free will can uniquely reduce the number of possible outcomes in a particular situation in a way he alone could demonstrably predict, and yet there is no other agent whosoever who could even theoretically Possess the capability to predict how the possessor of the free will would reduce these possible outcomes.
If the possessor of the so called free will can not predict his will a priori, then He can not demonstrate any will, only ex post claim of control over what he had really demonstrated no control over.
