Philosophy Now Forum

We are all influenced by family and social interactions and fate, but there comes a time in each mans life when he cannot say "I was just following orders" "the devil made me do it" or "that's how I was raised" jesus put it this way "anyone who loves his father or...

None of those, I just choose freely. Rantal, can I ask then, why did you choose what you chose? If your choice was left instead of right, why did you choose left? Was there a reason? or do you not know WHY you chose what you chose? If you don't know, then how do you know that it was 'you' that chos...

None of those, I just choose freely. Rantal, can I ask then, why did you choose what you chose? If your choice was left instead of right, why did you choose left? Was there a reason? or do you not know WHY you chose what you chose? If you don't know, then how do you know that it was 'you' that chos...

Ah, the ever popular question of free will! :D Free will is the experience of having choices, alternatives to choose from, and of being the one doing the choosing. Yes, free will is this experience, a fundamental aspect of human existence. We make choices every day, and experience them as real. How...

Is there a difference or are they the same. Free Will and Will. He lost "the will to live". Does this refer to a person's "free" will. "Free will or will" is part of being human and a person can manipulate it. Free-will and will are different. 'Will' is synonymous with...

You say "...that your reason 'is' you." Please clarify your meaning of the 'you' that you refer to here. Is this 'you' the conscious (thinking/knowing) self. Or the other part of the self (that I refer to as the 'unconscious' self) that operates automatically without conscious control, su...

P.S. As an example (see below), If you had read my definitions above, then you'd have known, that your reason 'is' you. I guess you're referring to schizophrenics. No, I am not referring to schizophrenics. I have no idea why you are referring to a 'disorder,' as I thought we were talking about 'nor...

(Edit 1)P.S. As an example (see below), If you had read my definitions above, then you'd have known, that your reason 'is' you. I guess you're referring to schizophrenics. If yes, then this choice was determined by your reason (not by you). No, I am not referring to schizophrenics. You say ".....

If you'd read my post, then you might have understood, that I see your questions as necessarily absurd, as they're based upon your beliefs. Just because you share them with others, doesn't necessarily mean anything. Just like it doesn't necessarily mean anything, that my beliefs are shared with oth...

SpheresOfBalance, why do you avoid answering my post? If you are so confident of your free-will, then try answering my questions. Here they are again: Before you claim that your free-will sent this or not, let me ask, did you have a reason for sending this? If yes, then this choice was determined by...

But wait, I can send this or not... I choose to send it... My will was free to do as it wanted, I was free to will it, let it be done. Before you claim that your free-will sent this or not, let me ask, did you have a reason for sending this? If yes, then this choice was determined by your reason (n...

If man does not have free will, why does man have a Conscience. I don't see the connection here. Conscience is what creates the guilt feeling we experience. If anything, this provides a biasing to choose one way over an another. Free-will is the ability to choose without influence, bias, or constra...

The more obvious alternative; the idea of god is as absurd as free-will. That would make me a determinist atheist. :D Well, that is not yet quite as obvious to me. If I were to wonder where all this stuff (reality/existance) came from, then I think it could only be one of two answers, either 1) thi...

Time moves forward and events pile on upon the other. When the time for a choice is past, it is gone forever. In this sense you can never go back and change your choice. Once a choice has been made it cannot be undone. You can make a new choice in a new time, with new information, but to change the...

Could I have chosen differently than what I actually chose? At first glance, this question seems silly, as it feels very obvious that I have the power to choose as I please and therefore could have chosen differently than what I had actually chose. This inner power, that I call free-will, allows me ...