What is Free Will?? The definition is as follows: The question of free will is whether, and in what sense, rational agents exercise control over their actions and decisions. Addressing this question requires understanding the relationship between freedom and cause, and determining whether the laws of nature are causally deterministic. The various philosophical positions taken differ on whether all events are determined or not—determinism versus indeterminism—and also on whether freedom can coexist with determinism or not—compatibilism versus incompatibilism. So, for instance, hard determinists argue that the universe is deterministic, and that this makes free will impossible.
The principle of free will has religious, ethical, and scientific implications. For example, in the religious realm, free will may imply that an omnipotent divinity does not assert its power over individual will and choices. In ethics, it may imply that individuals can be held morally accountable for their actions. In the scientific realm, it may imply that the actions of the body, including the brain and the mind, are not wholly determined by physical causality. The question of free will has been a central issue since the beginning of philosophical thought.
Do we have free will? I ask this to myself all the time. Is my free will an illusion, is my idea of happiness based upon my idea that I am free... DO I really understand how we are all just a product of genes, and enviroment? Can we over come all of this?
I have a firm belief in a creator. My loving God gave me free will, I believe this. BUT to what definition should I give free will. With an all knowing omnipitant creator.. who knows the decisions I will make and knew me before time itself was created... does this take away my free will? Does the fact that my genes predetermined certain addictive traits, and moods tendancies effect my free will? Does the fact that my society tells me what is culturally relevant, what is right and wrong from the day I am born, take away my free will? DOES the fact that I am a product to my emotions, my beliefs, my ideas, the ideas of others, the teaching of others, the love of GOD... Take away my free will.
In many ways I feel like we are all in this Matrix. We all question our lives. Are we a part of the system. Will we set ourselves free as Neo did in the movie? Or will we choose to be comfortable knowing we are not free and stay put stuck with in this "matrix"?
I believe the only free will that we have is really over our self awareness. Our thoughts. We must break out of the mold and truly strive for what is right and the common good of all people. The only freewill is in truely understanding ourselves and our motivations.
If we were born 400 years ago, we would believe that slavery was alright, and that women were unequal beings. Someone, a group, someone who looked at the world differently, thought diffently, with an awareness not like the rest of of us, believed common thought to be wrong. Eventhough the common knowledge was to have a slave, they thought it wrong to encourage slavery, wrong to think that people were unequal. This someone, this group of people who started this change... they were free. They understood that the norms of society can be trapped ideas, bad ideas. If we didn't attempt at free will.. perhaps we would still beleive the world to be flat. Humans can sometimes be like lemmings.... we follow with out question.
So I ask my self what is it.. what part of my society has me a slave to my thinking? What can I change? What is wrong? What needs to be set free? Is it consumerism? Is it the ever expanding notion that pleasing self is best? Is it the idea that having an education makes you better or being thin makes you beautiful?
If it is any or all of these things, how do I start changing my thinking. How do I break free from this mold and then start to show others? I believe God wants us to strive to think outside of the societal mold. In 1 Corinthians 10:21 we are told that we can't sit at the lords table and sit at a table with demons. I believe this means we can't do it Gods way and the worlds way. I believe Gods way is true free will.
Its all just a crazy thought and I had to get it out. But one day I'll fully understand how I can be free.. and truely have free will.
2 comments:
i like you:) and i like happy mediums although i think i am an extremists by nature!
ria
Kelli, this was so good, I agree with a lot of what you said, but mostly with the fact that we are not thinking for ourselves, we are having views pushed on us by others that think that we are too stupid to think for ourselves. And really, by buying those magazines, or watching those shows, aren't we agreeing?
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