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Do you believe in free will? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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There is an argument that free will doesn't exist because there is an unbroken chain of causality we are riding on that dates back to the beginning of time. Meaning that every time you fart, scratch your nose, blink, or make lifechanging decisions there is a pre existing reason. These reasons might be anything from the sensory enviornment you were in the past minute, the hormone levels in your bloodstream at the time, hormones you were exposed to as a baby, or how you were parented growing up. No thought you have is really original and is more like a domino affect of neurons firing off in reaction to what you have experienced. What are your thoughts on this?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (11 children)

If free will was truly non-existent, it would mean that a theoretical entity with access to perfect information would be able to perfectly predict your actions. I don't believe that is possible; I think that human beings are too irrational. Consider a very simple decision: what am I going to have for dinner? You could know the restaurants I have access to, what food is in my home, what I have discussed in a given day, and even what my current mood is, but it can ultimately come down to a whim. I could choose something I've never had before, for no reason, and seek it out.

I believe that we are individual actors in a very complex system that introduces lots of constraints to our decision-making process. We may not even be consciously aware of some of the constraints; however, we are always the ones ultimately making the decisions. You always have the option of a whim.

[–] usualsuspect191 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

How would perceived irrationality be counter to a deterministic universe? It just maybe seems irrational without all of the information, but is still perfectly part of the causal chain.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

See, now we're getting into parts that we can't prove. My argument is that it is irrational. Your argument is that it merely seems that way. There is no reconciling our positions.

[–] usualsuspect191 1 points 2 weeks ago

So you're saying it is possible then? That was my only hangup. I don't have a position on whether we have free will (leaning towards not) for the exact reason we can't prove it.

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