I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I just don't understand how anyone can think that we have free will. Numerous scientistis (Einstein, Sam Harris, etc. etc. etc.) agree that we live in a deterministic world and free will doesn't exist, but I'm surpised how many people support the idea of free will (although I don't blame them because, of course, they didn't have free will to choose to believe that, just as I didn't have choice to be a determinist). Think about it...
Every decision you make at a given period in time is based on (1) your genetics (2) every life experience you have had leading up to that moment. Nobody EVER makes a decision to do something that they don't want to do. They may deeply regret it after, or might think there could be serious consequences of it and are second guessing it, but at that moment and given the circumstances it's the BEST decision for them.
I think it's tough for a lot of people to accept the concept of determinism for a couple of reasons:
a) You can't blame the person for anything - only their circumstances leading up to that moment.
b) Our own ego. "Of course I'm a free person and everything I do is of my own accord."
If something was predictable/deterministic, does that mean you didn't have will? You wanted to do it, you did it, the fact that it was knowable you'd do that from the start of the universe is irrelevant, no?
If I know you love cake and I see you with a cake, does my knowing you'd eat that cake negate your free will in doing so?
Big_Data - I think people who can"t accept that we have free will are weak. They can"t handle the responsibility. They would rather blame their circumstance and everyone else around them than take responsibility for their lot in life.
Okay. Slow down. You have stated how you're frustrated with people who blame their circumstances on their lives and how it's "pussy shit" to believe otherwise. Where is the deteriminism paradigm wrong? And what is your argument for free will.
PS You're example is an oxymoron:
Why would the person KNOWINGLY DECIDE (implying that they believe they do have a choice) to make a decision to not help yet DON'T believe they have free will.
I pay about €60 for 120 M/b down and unlimited downloads. Decent value but hardly free.
ryans - If something was predictable/deterministic, does that mean you didn"t have will? You wanted to do it, you did it, the fact that it was knowable you"d do that from the start of the universe is irrelevant, no?
If I know you love cake and I see you with a cake, does my knowing you"d eat that cake negate your free will in doing so?
I agree that the aspect of knowing whether or not you would do it is irrelvent.
You HAVE a will to do it... But that will itself didn't spontaneously come out of a vacuum. It was brought on by your own specific beliefs, desires and temperment, all of which were caused by every life experience you've had leading up to the point.
We are governed by our genes and their quest to live on.
ferox - I pay about €60 for 120 M/b down and unlimited downloads. Decent value but hardly free.Interesting.