Do We Really Have Free Will? (page 2)

sleepy

The whole concept of freewill if flawed and ill-defined. If we really had free will in the fullest sense then we could never make choices as there would be nothing directing us to a certain decission (spelling?), because if we are being directed,by knowledge or emtion, then wheres the free will?If were not being directed our descission is random, as its not based on, or caused by anything.

Honesty

btttttt

Undecided

I was visited by some elders that included a DO and I asked them the question,"What makes a person what he is, whether good or bad.? Is it because of his environment, his genes, his childhood, the chemical balance in his brain or do we have some inner spirit that makes us what we are? They couldn't give an answer. The DO did say that the chemicals in the brain could have an effect because his son would go crazy without some drug that he had to take to keep him sane.

Can anyone answer this question here?

Ken P.

frankiespeakin

Golf,

Have you ever considered that it only appears to us that we have free will,,because we think we originate our thoughts even though we have no idea how thoughts are generated or originated.

Sleepy,

I can relate to your logic you make some good point for me to consider.

Undesided,

"What makes a person what he is, whether good or bad.? Is it because of his environment, his genes, his childhood, the chemical balance in his brain or do we have some inner spirit that makes us what we are?

You have some very interesting questions, these questions seem almost rhetorical,,and point to what I consider a fact,,that we are in this universe and subject to it to the extent that there realy is no free will because we cannot escape what we are subjected to,,we only appear to make choices. I think you make a good case for us not to be so judgemental,, by these questions.

Can anyone answer this question here?

Not with any great authority,, but we can debate them, and come up with lots of philosophical answers. And to me that's the mystery of life.

poppers

frankie,

You are so close to finding what could be labelled as an answer. Look for the one who would even pose the question; in other words, ask 'Who am I?' See if you can locate a definitive answer. You may come up with various ideas of who/what you really are, but as long as any idea arises which seems to answer the question you will know that you must keep looking. The answer is not in the mind; so long as the answer is sought there, the question will remain.

With the cessation of all ideas arising (about anything) notice what remains. When you are left with nothing for the mind to wrap itself around 'something' remains, then you will discover whether or not there is free will.

It is evident that you are on the verge of waking up, the alarm clock is ringing - too many people at this point turn the alarm off, roll over, and fall back to sleep. Look for the 'me' - follow it through and be astonished at what is found.

stillajwexelder

Nothing can happen unless it is the will of Allah

LittleToe

I have a dualist view of this.

I believe there is an objective, predestined perspective. However there's also a subjective, free-will perspective. Most of the time we live in the subjective, and combining the two views appears dichotomose.

Golf

FS, what's your point? Are you saying were not real people but a product of the mind? Is your question, how is it possible that a spiritual force is directing our physical bodies?

As to where my thoughts come from, well, certainly not from my rectum! If you want to know how the brain makes it possible for us to have and create thoughts, it took a genius to pull it off. The first chance I get to meet this miracle worker, I'm going to ask him that question. I hope he doesn't say, "Its for me to know and you to find out!"

I'm right, your not a golfer, correct?

Golf

stevenyc

John Stuart Mill, of his own free will
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill

steve.

frankiespeakin

Golf,

My point is,,you don't know where your thoughts come from,,you don't know how they originate. Therefore you have no idea as to whether or not you have free will. Thoughts are not you are they? They come and go you don't even know if your thoughts are electro-chemical in nature or who or what it is that reads them. The "I" that we precieve ourselves to be is merely a mental construction and we for the most part do not know the underlying reality which produces them.

As for whether or not we are real people it all depends on your definition of real. The subject is debatable since physists tell us the universe is Non-local.

As reguard some thoughts comming from your rectum,,that is a distinct possiblity many speculate, thoughts, or more precisely, "memory" is stored not only in the brain but though out the body,, holographically, rectum included. Biologist tell us that every cell in has recepters call neuropeptides and that are whole body is the mind. Also if the universe is non-local then the thoughts that we lay claim to are through out the entire universe.

Do We Really Have Free Will?

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