Free Will

[Excited Penguin]

I believe this forum hasn't talked about it enough.

Let's see what the majority opinion is.

[Jesster]

I'll be honest and say that I haven't put a lot of thought into this one. I've heard a lot of deep discussion about it, but it's not something that concerns me all that much. The only point I can make so far is that whether or not I have free will really won't change much for me in the end. If I have free will, then I will continue living as I am because this is how I choose to live. If I do not have free will, then I have no choice but to continue living as I am. It's a good philosophical topic though. I'll be reading along as others post.

[rado84]

I can't look up the meaning of the second term right now but I do think free will exists. There are many things I could decide to do and there's nothing that can stop me from doing them. It's a matter of my choice what and when to do.

[purplepurpose]

It doesnt matter. People still will search for pleasure or satisfaction.

[FatAndFaithless]

I'd probably describe myself as a compatibilist, although I'm not super well versed in all of the philosophy behind the issue. However, it's not really a topic with which I concern myself much at all. Even if there was conclusive, irrefutable evidence that the universe operated under hard determinism, and even these words that I'm typing now had been determined by prior circumstances, I would still act and feel as if I had free will. It's just not something that really enters my hierarchy of concerns - I'm more worried about how much whiskey I have left at home than whether or not I have free will in the grand scheme of things.

That being said, I think the 'libertarian' kind of free will that's sometimes advocated by theists obviously does not exist - one cannot just 'choose' to believe something.

[Sterben]

I believe that true free will does not exist, only certain choices we have within the confines of society. In the 21st century we have choices on type of T.V prorgams we watch; or the way were influenced by others early on in life.A original idea or concept is quite rare by todays standards.

How would one go about attempting to portray a story of tragedy caused by greed for the sake of your family? I've always favored Rod Sterlings "The Shelter" as a story to draw from. If I wanted to tell my own version, would borrwing any material, even if the material I used I modified. Would that posses free will, or would I be in the shadow of Mr. Sterlings free will?

[fdesilva]

Consider the following
P1. The universe is a 4Dimensional object (1D of time 3D of space)
P2. The universe is expanding.
c1 The expansion of the universe means that its 4 Dimensional shape is flexible.
c2 True Free will is possible by changing the shape of a part of the universe. In doing so you change not only the future but also the past.

If you imagine all the particles of the universe at this instance then their state will determine the next. This is the determinism. Here is what changing the shape would mean. Imagine the particles at a given instance. Now if you were to plot the motion of these particles over time they would be like strings across space and time. Like a 4-dimensional spider web.
What if you pulled on one of these strings? Pulling it would mean changing its position across time and space. In other words, Free Will is possible at a given instant but doing so will also mean you change the past as well as the future.

[Whateverist]

Where is choice three?

"Yes I believe in a robust form of free will of the sort which can justify God torturing me for eternity if I don't do all his bidding."

[Arkilogue]

I'd say we have conditioned free will. First by the forces of the universe and regularity of pattern. If you could "free will" the structure of your brain, you'll probably end your experience here, just as if a bird could free choice the shape of it's wing, it would probably fall out of the sky in short order.

In other words there are certain things necessary for choice to exist in the first place, one cannot go beyond them.

There are also 4d inertial influence of culture/upbringing that predispose our choice/belief in one direction vs another and many people here have experienced the exercise of freely willed choices that have over come those belief/idea inertias.

The degrees of freedom of will are based on knowledge of possible choices and power to move from one choice to another.

Because we all have differing levels of knowledge (many perceived choices vs few) and different levels of volitional power (some have a low threshold of movement and low inertia to overcome, others have a high threshold and greater inertia to overcome, if they even can), we all have different degree of "free will"

One cannot choose what one does not know exists.

[fdesilva]

Where is choice three?

"Yes I believe in a robust form of free will of the sort which can justify God torturing me for eternity if I don't do all his bidding."

Think of a GPS Navigation system. If we got a good one, we are happy to follow it because we can trust the directions given. Sure we are free to go a different route.
Now consider this. Suppose one-day a computer was invented that knew everything.  It knew you so well that you could ask it what should I do next and it will tell you. Would you not be wise to follow its advice?
God has given free will to take His advice and become like Him or go our own way.