|
Wherein I prove free will does not exist
The Concept of Metaphysical Freedom
. An act is free if a person is responsible for it, but didn't have to do it. . Metaphysical freedom does not mean "the absence of an obstacle to what you want to do" It seems that everyone should agree that we have free will. . Every time a person deliberates, he or she thinks up different alternatives are possible and up to" him or her . If we don't have free will no one in the history of the world has ever done anything blameworthy or noteworthy Determinism . There is only one possible way things can be at any future time . The way things are at one time determines, or necessitates, the way things will be at any later time . A being who knew everything about the present universe (all laws of nature, all events, all properties of everything in existence, etc) could, on that basis, predict the future with 100% accuracy. Why be a Determinist? . Argument from explanation: 1. Every change in the world must have a complete explanation 2. A complete explanation of change (X) involves casual factors and circumstances from which X may be deduced Therefore: 3. Every change in the world in necessitated by prior casual factors and circumstances Determinism and Free Will are Incompatible . A free action is a: - change a person did not have to bring about - change that is "up to" a person (the person could have done otherwise) . According to determinism, given the past history of the world, all changes that occur have to occur. . According to determinism, a person cannot bring about and changes other than the changes they in fact do bring about. Indeterminism . There is more than one possible way things can be in the future . The way things are at one time does not always determine, or necessitate, the way things will be at a later time . A being who knew everything about the present universe (all laws of nature, all events, all properties of everything in existence, etc) could not, on that basis, predict the future with 100% accuracy Indeterminism and Free Will Seem Incompatible . If change X does not follow from (cannot be deduced from) prior conditions and event(s), the the occurrence of X is to some degree due to chance . To the exten a change is due to chance, then to that extent a person is not responsible for it. . A free action is a change a person is responsible for. Argument Against Free Will . The world is either deterministic or indeterministic . If the world is deterministic, we can't have free will . If the world is indeterministic, we can't have free will . We can't have free will |
I'm guessing I made a very large TL;DR. I have no one to discuss with. What a shame.
And I broke a rule. :| |
Yes, yes. Very long. Only read it because I'm half out of it myself, and really don't have much better to do at the moment. A lot of that kind of went over my head, though, probably because I'm tired. Still, free will, whether it is or isn't, is something I believe is still there. I just don't really believe that much that all our decisions are governed in any way at all. Nor is anything that happens on earth very governed in the least.
|
I see.
|
how was that post against the rules?
|
This is reminding me of large textbooks filled with big words, so that in order to read it, i require a large dictionary placed beside me at all times for every second word. :S
Maybe you should try put this in terms people would understand :] |
You already have this thread in the debates forum, so I'm going to lock this up. It's more appropriate for debates anyway.
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 01:40 AM. |