There is the myth about "free will" that there is such a thing. YES but not entirely true if you think it ABSOLUTELY free, then you are mistaken; it is only partly free. Let me explain: When you were but a tiny brat, you did things automatically because Nature was in control. You got hungry, you cried like - well like a baby - to get something into your belly. Your "will," at that time was the automatic reflex mechanism that controlled your responses. As you began to grow, to age, the voluntary nervous system began to appear. You had more control of yourself, and less dependence upon others for some of your needs.I don't need to increase examples. I believe that when reading these lines that you are getting the point. And the point is that you dropped into this world without your consent, plopped right into the middle of life. You had nothing to say about it, right? Your development, in ways that are consistent with Nature's ways, followed a (more or less) pattern in which, over time, you began to recognize that you now could make your own choices; that is, you could "will" and not just fumble over things but to over-rule that automatic system that heretofore controlled you. To make a long tale short: you purportedly had developed a free will. What I am going to do now, however, is not to continue my blabbing away about this, but to pose the question to you by asking "DO YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE A FREE WILL?" and "WHY?" Give me some interesting reasons here before you commit yourself to replying. When you return your reply to me, I will then go over it in a more complete way. My own contention about free will, however, is that it is not so very free when one considers all the in and outs of it. Show me your smarts! Paladin
I might be short-changing you with this response. "DO YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE A FREE WILL?" I don't believe I have a choice over "Nature's ways." I tried (and still try) to be attracted to women, but failed. I could live a life with a woman - get married, have kids - I could live that life, but it would be against my nature. (Am I willing to do that?) I have a choice over everything else that doesn't come directly from my nature. I make decisions every day that lead my material life. I can go to school and learn the things I wish to learn, eat the foods I want to eat, do the things I want to do. Of course there are 'boundaries' like laws, social norms, things that are expected of you given your location and position in society etc. In short, there are things I have control over and other things that I do not.
This is a philosophical question. Which means you can't quite prove anything, just like Creation VS Evolution, or the meaning of life or the existance of a Supreme Being. The best thing we can do is come up with the philosiphy that makes the most sense to us and is most advantageous to the world. . So I think, because of the laws of physics and such, complete freewill is unreachable by anyone that lives by the laws of physics. I also think that the fact that we age and die limits our freewill. I also think that anything in existence that could possibly cause resistance any type of resistance (wind resistance; a car hitting a building or another car; parents telling you that you can't go out tonight ) widens the chasm between us and freewill. The thing about wanting to have complete freewill, is that it is a selfish and conceited request for a lonely existance. (selfish) Asking for freewill would be like asking that noone else would ever try to have anything that you dont want them to have, because the conflict they create by doing that is a resistance to your ownership. (conceited) If someone had complete freewill, their ideas would be the only ones that truly mattered, because any opposing or equally relevant ideas that threaten the former's idea would cause a resistance. (lonely) If anyone was ever able to have complete freewill, they would have to be the only ones in existance to have it, and so there would be noone of equal freedom or power or ability, or higher freedom or power or ability. Maybe (just throwing this out there) God (if he exists) is that being. What do you think?
Gentlemen and Gentleladies: I will wait if others wish to reply with their answers.You guys cannot have the limelight yet. thanks for your answers. Not bad. paladine
After one semester of some torturous philosophy course.. let me try my best in conveying my twisted logic.. Let's put it this way.. Of course we have Free Will! Scenario: You walk down the street.. you have two options.. A) turn right to the University B) turn left to the Brothel The trick is! Most of the time.. that being up there (sorry for blasphemy) has this.. sense of humour.. SO.... if you.. A) turn right.. you end up getting knocked down by a car B) turn left, you end up having the worst sex ever and decide to go to University for the rest of your life.. lol.. my point is: we always have the choice to choose our paths.. but the trick is the events that happen in those paths are unknown to us.. personally, I believe i have free will and I make decisions based on what I feel is "right" at present.. and have faith that I'll be able to handle whatever events that take place in the course of the path that I choose.. and also have faith that in the end.. it leads to a happy ending..
I did. On DVD. But I thought the movie was pretty lame, so I traded it in for something a bit more my speed ...OH! Sorry. Thought you asked if I thought I had Free Willy. Never mind. Lex
... LEXXX..... if only I were 30+ and financially established.. I would book a flight to Colarado and by hook or by crook work things out with you... :icon_redf
Do we have a free will? Yes. Just not as free as we think we have. Our innate morality will stop us from doing something against ourselves. I'm not talking about the morality that we were taught, but the morality that is truly, deeply within us. We can't disobey that. There's certain things that are just not possible for our minds to manage, or our bodies to act out. And that can only be pushed to a certain extreme.
Alexander: I am addressing you in particular because of your young age. It is interesting to me to find a boy with your curiosity, and a boy who has declared himself gay so publicly to be telling the world how he feels. I can't write much more right now because I have to take a call on skype, but I can take a message, here on this site, or in private if you wish. If you can wait a bit, perhaps I can wirite back. Sincerely, Paladin
