Do We Have Free Will?

Unfortunately we don't have free will . It doesn't make sense whatsoever. WHT we call the ego which is "i" doesn't even exist. So who is in control? Nobody . Just read Sam Harris book on free will..it's will become blindly obvious .

 

I forgot about this thread.

But, yeah, human beings function with an awareness of their own cognizance, in that way they express preferences for environments and behaviors which are influenced by a variety of stimuli. Regardless of influence, this consciousness is present and allows the perception to serve as an operator in addition to other stimuli.

I put it this way: We act as if we possess free will, thus free will, as an as-if experience, is an appropriate term. I've never spoken with someone who used the phrase, but was confused about specifics. You'll find theists who say it's source is spiritual, but the neurological processes are always understandable.

I don't know what you believe as an agnostic/atheist, so let me know what makes sense.

 

...Why wouldn't humans evolve to have free will? What keeps them from doing so?

You're asking a lot of questions so far without articulating anything concrete.

Do you think we should dismiss free will as an experiential phenomenon? Why?

If I aim at a dart board and nail a bullseye with a dart, what is the point in only addressing the various physical phenomena that made it possible for my muscles to move and for the dart to fly through the air? Isn't the perception and neurological responses just as important? Isn't the composition of these such elements noteable to the extent we can use a term such as "will" to designate, differentiate and potentially define what it is we are referring to?

 

Alright, fair enough.

Before we've acted, yes; after we act, no. It's a sort of Catch-22, because after the actor takes action, yes, we can theoretically begin to measure all of the influences that led to the action, from the beginning of time, if desired; however, before any action takes place, there is no measure of absolute certainty because of randomness. I agree that pure randomness does not seem to exist, but randomness as it is defined conceptually is valid to be worthy of being applied to actions taken by organisms.

Take the bullseye example again. If we measured all relevant influences upon the possibilities of how, why, when and with what accuracy I will toss a dart, we can make a numerous amount of models that detail answers to these questions. If, however, when the time to throw comes, I turn completely around and toss my dart out a window, what is there to be said about these models? Can we follow the avenues of determinism to define what influenced me to throw out the window? Theoretically we can, but anything close to proficiency or precision in designing such models only comes after-the-fact. I think even in physics, only hindsight is 20-20.

I began the last paragraph by saying "all relevant influences." Knowing what is relevant is the primary problem of theoretical determination being used as an instrument in analyzing actions in the universe.

I'll say one last thing: I think all organisms are on a "spectrum" with regard to their ability to utilize will, but since humans have adapted and evolved to fit environments we are able to call societies and civilizations, we exhibit a degree of will that is, in different ways, superior to other animals, so that there is some use in labeling our human will as "free" -- it is free in relation to every other animal on Earth that we know of, mostly, I think, because of the sophistication of stimuli with which it is used to understand.

 

The aspects you listed all take place in the human brain. You will have to point to the exact positions of all aspects that comprise a "soul" before I would give credence to that theory.

 

Did you read my argument above, on this same page of the thread? Besides having a soul, a think humans can be said to possess attributes dissimilar to non-humans which allow the utility of the phrase "free will."

 

I get that a lot I just like to read, and think about what I've read. Some of the best advice I ever got was the "learn to listen," speech.

But, no, everyone tells me I need to go back to school. I had the American public school experience and all that inspired in me was to get away from civilization as fast as possible... I didn't get too far.

Right now, I was thinking about a two-year degree that would get me into a high-paying entry-level position. It seems lucrative.

Do you study? Your seem like you're a sharp tack yourself, from the threads I've seen.

 

You just contradicted your own position.

"We cannot "will" ourselves to stop. Instead, the best way to stop an addiction, is to set up "conditions" so that you won't give in to the addiction. You eliminate triggers, environmental cues, etc., so that these things don't influence your behavior."

I wouldn't call "free will" the ability to always be in control. Rather as the ability to "choose your own destiny" to "forge your own road".
And if we can not do that directly, we will achieve it indirectly. Like, eliminating trigger, setting up other habits, introducing new routines etc..
True, human is a custom animal, but if you control that customs, you are essentically in control. And you are free to choose and change those customs.