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Do we have free will?
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Ahab Offline
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Post: #1
Do we have free will?

My answer: no.

But since I am probably wrong, I figured I'd open a thread of discourse on the subject.

"If you think you know what the hell is going on, you're probably full of shit." - Robert Anton Wilson
06-09-2008 04:21 PM
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youvebeenthunderstruck Offline
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Post: #2
Re: Do we have free will?

YOUR MOM HAS FREE WILL.
06-09-2008 04:28 PM
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Tasty Waffles Offline
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Post: #3
Re: Do we have free will?

Serious answer
Well not necessary. Laws and all. Regulations and shit. I cant even eat somebody, come on. Its normal for people to kill each other as we are animals.

Stupid answer
FUCK NO
06-09-2008 05:15 PM
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liq3 Offline
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Post: #4
Re: Do we have free will?

magic Wrote:Serious answer
Well not necessary. Laws and all. Regulations and shit. I cant even eat somebody, come on. Its normal for people to kill each other as we are animals.

Stupid answer
FUCK NO
Are we animals?

Also you can eat somebody. Just remember they will fight back, and the police and government will execute their free will to put you in jail.

Epic win book.
Personal Development for Smart People.
06-09-2008 05:27 PM
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thewake Offline
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Post: #5
Re: Do we have free will?

I think we have free will.
But then again maybe I'm just being a hopeless romantic.

From what I observe I have free will, I decided to type this out of my free will. The only thing I see justifying free will is God predetermining everything or maybe some weird time-space theory.

So yeah, free will FTW.

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06-09-2008 09:44 PM
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kennyBOY Offline
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Post: #6
Re: Do we have free will?

I don't think we're living in The Matrix yet (though we may be soon None) But even in that movie, you could see how the power of choice helped Neo prevail in the end. I think we always have some choice, no matter what the situation.
06-10-2008 03:22 AM
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NiteRaidah Offline
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Post: #7
Re: Do we have free will?

We have some free will. Obviously, we cannot do certain things, due to laws (which I think are good, in most cases), but we're not robots.

"All these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you."
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06-10-2008 05:13 AM
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demonater10 Offline
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Post: #8
Re: Do we have free will?

Well adults do, children don't mostly because they cannot handle the responsibility to make their own decisions.
06-10-2008 05:14 AM
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kennyBOY Offline
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Post: #9
Re: Do we have free will?

Quote:Well adults do, children don't mostly because they cannot handle the responsibility to make their own decisions.

Yeah, children like you. Razz
06-10-2008 07:46 AM
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i-am-the-liquor Offline
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Post: #10
Re: Do we have free will?

no, we dont.we do things based on chemicales in our brains, not a peice of matter that does shit on random. its all whatever chemical cahrge is the strongist. yes me spelling is of atm, dont care anymore

I dont mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am,so thats how it comes out.- bill hicks
06-10-2008 11:56 AM
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Gorebell Offline
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Post: #11
Re: Do we have free will?

Quote:We have some free will. Obviously, we cannot do certain things, due to laws (which I think are good, in most cases), but we're not robots.


Yes, we are. That's exactly what we are. A bit more complex, broken, and biological, but we're essentially robots.

If we're defining free will as the ability to be presented with the same choice multiple times, under the same circumstances, and make a different decision each time...then unless there is some otherworldly force bringing a random variable into the equation or is intervening in some way, free will is simply an illusion. We'd always make the same choice given the same state of things.

Out senses take the input from the world, our brains sends a whole buttload of electrical signals around, and eventually make an appropriate action.
IE, your eyes spot an object coming towards your face quickly and sends out the proper series of pulses. Your brain recognizes these pulses as a fist, and does some quick shooting around of other pulses, and eventually ends up sending out the proper signal to activate the muscles to pull your upper body down - duck.

There is no choice.
06-10-2008 12:03 PM
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liq3 Offline
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Post: #12
Re: Do we have free will?

Then why do some ppl get hit in the face?

Epic win book.
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06-10-2008 12:18 PM
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i-am-the-liquor Offline
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Post: #13
Re: Do we have free will?

because i get angry, thats why, NOW RUN! RUN, IT AMMUSES ME...opps

I dont mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am,so thats how it comes out.- bill hicks
06-10-2008 01:41 PM
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Tasty Waffles Offline
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Post: #14
Re: Do we have free will?

liq3 Wrote:
magic Wrote:Serious answer
Well not necessary. Laws and all. Regulations and shit. I cant even eat somebody, come on. Its normal for people to kill each other as we are animals.

Stupid answer
FUCK NO
Are we animals?

Also you can eat somebody. Just remember they will fight back, and the police and government will execute their free will to put you in jail.
Logically, we are animals, we are living beings as are everything else on this hell planet.
06-10-2008 03:54 PM
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SoulRiser Offline
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Post: #15
Re: Do we have free will?

I think each person has a sort of "destiny" to some extent, but how you get there and whether you get there at all is entirely up to you.

"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them." - Dalai Lama
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06-11-2008 03:56 AM
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liq3 Offline
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Post: #16
Re: Do we have free will?

SoulRiser Wrote:I think each person has a sort of "destiny" to some extent, but how you get there and whether you get there at all is entirely up to you.
QFT

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06-11-2008 03:58 AM
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Gorebell Offline
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Post: #17
Re: Do we have free will?

Quote:I think each person has a sort of "destiny" to some extent, but how you get there and whether you get there at all is entirely up to you.


*Points to last post*
Determinism is pretty much scientific fact. Hell, all of reality is like that.
...except for the damn quantum mechanics. Upset
06-11-2008 05:02 AM
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Bob Dole Offline
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Post: #18
Re: Do we have free will?

Acausal events certainly do throw a monkey wrench in the whole thing, but it doesn't make a real difference to the concept of free will.

K
S
06-11-2008 11:14 AM
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Loxor Offline
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Post: #19
Re: Do we have free will?

I think we can choose what we want to do like I could go run outside or I could sit here infront for the computer for the rest of the night. (My choice is the latter). But people in positions of power will always try to change the way we act based on their standards so free will is percived by how you determine it. If you think it is "I can do anything I want with no justifiable reason for punishment other than views from misguided people." The answer is no. If it is "I made a descision that is free will." The answer is yes.

Anything that ever happened or will... one condition, it has to be amazing.

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06-11-2008 04:03 PM
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Tasty Waffles Offline
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Post: #20
Re: Do we have free will?

I think that we should go back to nature. As we have fucked this earth. Damn liberals
06-12-2008 12:44 PM
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mudkip liek Offline
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Post: #21
Re: Do we have free will?

I think yes. Of course....it's only logical. I mean...in non-religious terms. It doesn't make sense when people say "we have free will but God controls it"....that kinda defeats the point of free will don't you think?

As for us being animals...well, yes. We fall into the mammal category. Just because we are the most intelligent species on this planet (though...I'm not so sure about that one taking what's happening today into consideration) doesn't make us less of an animal.

And, for all the laws and crap...it doesn't matter. Even if something is illegal, you can still go ahead and do it. The consequences that follow after have nothing to do with it. You have a choice to either do it or not and you can choose whichever you want. If you want to steal something but are not doing it because of the law, that's still free will, because you chose not to due to the fear of getting caught. On the other hand, some people choose to do it. How many thieves, rapists, kidnappers, and terrorists are out there? How many of them are still wanted?
06-13-2008 11:47 AM
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Tasty Waffles Offline
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Post: #22
Re: Do we have free will?

I hate laws. Laws are supposed to protect. But some laws are just stupid.
06-13-2008 05:34 PM
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HeartofShadows Offline
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Post: #23
Re: Do we have free will?

I think its already been said..
We have free will to a certain extent but it is always controlled somehow by different ideas or society depending on where we live.

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06-14-2008 09:40 AM
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Ahab Offline
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Post: #24
Re: Do we have free will?

chemistry_hater Wrote:I think yes. Of course....it's only logical. I mean...in non-religious terms. It doesn't make sense when people say "we have free will but God controls it"....that kinda defeats the point of free will don't you think?
Perhaps, but logic is like everything else: filled with conventional materials accessible by most which doesn't nessecarily make it true. The fact I type this post or play bass six hours a day seems like a choice, but is it free will just a persistent illusion just as solipists suscribe to the belief that reality is an illusion?

"If you think you know what the hell is going on, you're probably full of shit." - Robert Anton Wilson
06-14-2008 03:02 PM
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