Do you believe in free will? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 day ago by Dr_Box@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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There is an argument that free will doesn't exist because there is an unbroken chain of causality we are riding on that dates back to the beginning of time. Meaning that every time you fart, scratch your nose, blink, or make lifechanging decisions there is a pre existing reason. These reasons might be anything from the sensory enviornment you were in the past minute, the hormone levels in your bloodstream at the time, hormones you were exposed to as a baby, or how you were parented growing up. No thought you have is really original and is more like a domino affect of neurons firing off in reaction to what you have experienced. What are your thoughts on this?

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[-] usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago

How would perceived irrationality be counter to a deterministic universe? It just maybe seems irrational without all of the information, but is still perfectly part of the causal chain.

[-] djsoren19@lemmy.blahaj.zone 0 points 1 day ago

See, now we're getting into parts that we can't prove. My argument is that it is irrational. Your argument is that it merely seems that way. There is no reconciling our positions.

[-] usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago

So you're saying it is possible then? That was my only hangup. I don't have a position on whether we have free will (leaning towards not) for the exact reason we can't prove it.

this post was submitted on 20 May 2025

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