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Free will deniers

Koldo

Outstanding Member
I proved that it does exist because I was free to do otherwise.
As I said, you can't even imagine how I love pork.
Becoming a vegetarian was a huge sacrifice. But I succeeded. I did otherwise.

Were you though?
Your will was to become vegetarian.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
As I said...we are not handicapped. Most of us are not retards.
So our choices are the result of our will.
:)

Nobody has ever proved the absence of free will yet.
Some people think free will (whatever that means) is without restrictions, which of course obviously isn't true.

Great example is Christianity, where the term free will is used quite a lot, yet at the same time preaching Hell or punishment for those straying from whatever doctrine they follow.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
I had a mentor in the past whom I met again after 10 years. A philosophy professor. He told me something about free will: there are several kinds of people. Those with enormous volition that use their willpower to do either good things or bad things; and there are people with scarce volition who are too scared to use their own free will, for they don't want to commit mistakes. There are so many shades of individualistic cases inbetween.
He also told me that free will deniers are usually people with a big volition who use their prepotency to destroy other people's lives.
They deny free will exists because admitting it does exist would make them feel guilty of all that they have done unto others.
It's a self-defense mechanism not to feel guilty.
What do you think, guys? ;)
Free will does not seem to exist even as a functional concept.

Regardless of what intrigue may be thrown over me.
 

Bird123

Well-Known Member
I had a mentor in the past whom I met again after 10 years. A philosophy professor. He told me something about free will: there are several kinds of people. Those with enormous volition that use their willpower to do either good things or bad things; and there are people with scarce volition who are too scared to use their own free will, for they don't want to commit mistakes. There are so many shades of individualistic cases inbetween.
He also told me that free will deniers are usually people with a big volition who use their prepotency to destroy other people's lives.
They deny free will exists because admitting it does exist would make them feel guilty of all that they have done unto others.
It's a self-defense mechanism not to feel guilty.
What do you think, guys? ;)
God gave everyone a different view to guaranty mankind a larger view than anyone can have.

Control is one of the petty things mankind holds so dear. Indeed, there are different levels to understanding. How can one see the larger view controlling? Clearly, controlling is not an intelligent choice.

Listen to the advice of others, but make your own choice. Choosing is far to important to allow others to do it for you.

Afraid of mistakes? Don't be. No one reaches true higher intelligence without mistakes. One learns what not to do. God counts on all those mistakes as a teaching tool. I can't wait for my next great screw up. It's going to be Glorious!!!

I say: Share that which is special about you with the world and others. Do not allow controlling people around you to prevent you from doing just that. Sure, there can be Drama, however you must realize more is learned by everyone around Drama than at almost any other time. Drama should not always be avoided. It is the path to knowledge, wisdom, understanding and resolution.

Everyone has free choice within the parameters God set for one's life. Let's show God and the world what we can really do!!

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
I had a mentor in the past whom I met again after 10 years. A philosophy professor. He told me something about free will: there are several kinds of people. Those with enormous volition that use their willpower to do either good things or bad things; and there are people with scarce volition who are too scared to use their own free will, for they don't want to commit mistakes. There are so many shades of individualistic cases inbetween.
He also told me that free will deniers are usually people with a big volition who use their prepotency to destroy other people's lives.
They deny free will exists because admitting it does exist would make them feel guilty of all that they have done unto others.
It's a self-defense mechanism not to feel guilty.
What do you think, guys? ;)
There are freedoms in having a will. I know my will is my very own and not somebody elses. I can choose what I will to certain degrees whatever happens to me. My response is my choice. Some people are easily overcome, others have strength of will.

Things that effect the will are knowledge, environment, life experiences, information, relationships, wisdom of experience, nature of desires, the choice of heart and its nature, virtues/vices and choice of self character. There is the freedom to create yourself, or fall into becoming things. There are hard fought freedoms of will. There are also spiritual traps that people fall into that handicaps their will.

Some have fortitude and some have weak will. I think cause and effect plays into strength of will.

There's not just one kind of free will. There's not just one kind of freedom. So it's important to define the freedom of will one is talking about.

There are freedoms, and freedoms with limits, and there are limits of will. However no one is totally predetermined. People are not total passengers in their own wills. Will can be learned and acquired. Old will can be broken, and new will can form. Will can be quite a journey.

There's no cookie cutter same for all free will. Not all wills are the same. The strongest wills can be brought to weakness. The weakest wills can build strength. There's biological factors, and spiritual factors, age, etc.

I do think that for everything there's always a choice to do otherwise. Some choices are painful, some are not. Some choices have costs.
Some choices align with will, some go against the grain of will.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
No it doesn't. It means freedom from all yokes. Not just people.
Let's say that a man wants to live forever...
and he's angry that he's 90 and he has to die.

Is that lack of freedom? Or is it something that doesn't depend on nobody's will?
It's biology. Carbon chemistry.
 

The Hammer

[REDACTED]
Premium Member
Let's say that a man wants to live forever...
and he's angry that he's 90 and he has to die.

Is that lack of freedom? Or is it something that doesn't depend on nobody's will?
It's biology. Carbon chemistry.

Yes, Exactly.

Can you control biology? We try, and for all the good it has done, it has also done irreparable harm.

Why not just let go?
 
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