Quote:
Originally Posted by Dharma & Greg
Because truly conceptualizing a universe without free will is basically soul death. If you truly absorb the idea that you're nothing but an automaton then I don't imagine you'd be able to continue going on. Cognitive dissonance in this case is for survival.
Free will is the ability to get punched in the face and then punch the other person back, rewind time, get punched in the face and then write a novel or sing "La Macarena" or just punch back with your other arm. If you rewind infinitely but you still perform you same action after being punched then free will doesn't exist.
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Are you saying that we don't have free will because we can't rewind time or that we need to be able to rewind time to properly measure free will?
The concept of free will isn't easily defined but I think many people define it as being able to make a conscious decision. Where a rock isn't conscious, the thrower is so we hold the thrower accountable. Whether or not our decisions our predetermined never changes that they are still done consciously. You could argue that the influences prove that our will isn't free, you could argue the physical limitations we abide by prove that our will isn't free, or you could argue that free will exists but there are varying levels of freedom. You can't really prove it from either side and to pretend like you can is just pompous.
Edit: And no, it's not the same as theism, or magic or the ideas of souls because the concept in it's self doesn't make me feel special or give my life any meaning, Grindy.