Is there Free Will?

[Nathelion]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: Nathelion
Quantum theory invokes truly random phenomena - just FYI. Not that you can't reject quantum mechanics, it's just something to consider - especially since your belief in determinism was probably founded upon an understanding of newtonian mechanics, another very succesful scientific theory.

I take quantum theory more as we don't have the capability to know what will happen (and it may even be impossible to know), not that there truly can be multiple outcomes for an event.

Randomness is an affront to logic, I can't even conceptualize what true randomness would be like. Well, other than a complete unknown.

That is interesting. I personally find the view that the world is essentially just a big average of a multitude of randomness much more appealing than the strictly deterministic perspective.
I also don't understand it when people object to the "quantification" of physics and insist that non-continuity is counterintuitive - I've always found it much easier to conceptualize the universe as a finite-state machine with a multitude of discrete components than as a vague "continuum" with all sorts of limits and mathematical points and other problematic concepts.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: Enig101
Ah, but here's the catch. If you take all factors into account (i.e. your memories, your current state, your environment, etc etc) is there not only one choice you could make? Maybe not. That is arguably beyond the scope of science to prove.

There is one most probable choice you could make, and an infinite amount of improbable choices, neither which you have any control over beyond the scope of causality. Whatever choice was made the first time would have very likely been made the second time all things being equal. Minus quantum uncertainty, the same choice would be made 100% of the time.

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
Not to say anyone is wrong here, but in Islam it is said tha God gave every human free will.

It's true, religious people believe in lots of stupid sh!t.

Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf
It is a question that can't be answered.

Sure it can. No there isn't a free will that escapes the bounds of causality. There, it's answered, how did I manage to do that? Do I appear as a god to you?

Originally posted by: engineereeyore
I believe in free will.

The question isn't "do you believe in free will", it's "is there free will". My little cousin believes in santa. You can believe in it all you want, it doesn't change the lack of it.

 

[JJChicken]

theres clearly free will as you posted in the wrong forum!
the moderators must be out on lunch - free will ftw!

 

[Nathelion]

Or maybe he was predetermined to post in the wrong forum? The mystery deepens

 

[engineereeyore]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff

Originally posted by: engineereeyore
I believe in free will.

The question isn't "do you believe in free will", it's "is there free will". My little cousin believes in santa. You can believe in it all you want, it doesn't change the lack of it.

Yes, and the remainder of my comment explains how I believe free will can exist.

 

[fire400]

Journey to the Emerald City

read that book. free will exists

culture:

1. experiences
2. beliefs
3. actions
4. results

insanity:

same thing over and over again and expecting a diff. result

choice:
either you accept it or attempt to change it

environment:
either you control what you have, or everything controls you

no matter how thin you slice something you will always have two sides

you taste bitter to know the sweet

life in and of itself is precious. live it like the last.

GG kids