TPF : Free Will
Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2021 4:33 pm
Free will
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussi ... ent/503684
I wish to see a compelling argument that makes thinking of free will as a possibility without the use of some outside power. — Barondan
The question of FreeWill came up in a thread on Religious Belief. One common modern "scientific" argument against Freewill in general (not specifically religious choice) is the findings of Benjamin Libet's experiments on voluntary acts. A common interpretation of those results was to conclude that the body had already chosen to act before the mind became conscious of its own intention to act. Hence, "freewill is an illusion". But Libet himself left open the possibility of minimal freedom, in the form of a final conscious Veto of the body's subconscious decision to act. For me, that narrowly-limited-freedom-to-choose is sufficient to validate our intuitive feeling of moral & functional Freedom. It's what I call "FreeWill within Determinism".
I'm not sure what you meant by "outside power". Are you referring to a divine gift of Free Will? My notion of Freewill is not based on any scriptural authority, but on the role of Randomness in Evolution. My later post on that same thread gives my reasoning.
FWIW, here's a link to my reply on the Religious Belief thread : https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussi ... ent/503419
Conscious-will could thus affect the outcome of the volitional process even though the latter was initiated by unconscious cerebral processes. Conscious-will might block or veto the process, so that no act occurs.The existence of a veto possibility is not in doubt.
___Benjamin Libet, the 'freewill' experiment
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ ... ill%3F.pdf
Rationalism versus Fatalism : Freewill Within Determinism
http://bothandblog2.enformationism.info/page67.html
PS___Here's a discussion on "apparent randomness :
Apparent randomness is strong evidence for the existence of free will :
https://www.kialo.com/apparent-randomne ... -5685.2309
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussi ... ent/503684
I wish to see a compelling argument that makes thinking of free will as a possibility without the use of some outside power. — Barondan
The question of FreeWill came up in a thread on Religious Belief. One common modern "scientific" argument against Freewill in general (not specifically religious choice) is the findings of Benjamin Libet's experiments on voluntary acts. A common interpretation of those results was to conclude that the body had already chosen to act before the mind became conscious of its own intention to act. Hence, "freewill is an illusion". But Libet himself left open the possibility of minimal freedom, in the form of a final conscious Veto of the body's subconscious decision to act. For me, that narrowly-limited-freedom-to-choose is sufficient to validate our intuitive feeling of moral & functional Freedom. It's what I call "FreeWill within Determinism".
I'm not sure what you meant by "outside power". Are you referring to a divine gift of Free Will? My notion of Freewill is not based on any scriptural authority, but on the role of Randomness in Evolution. My later post on that same thread gives my reasoning.
FWIW, here's a link to my reply on the Religious Belief thread : https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussi ... ent/503419
Conscious-will could thus affect the outcome of the volitional process even though the latter was initiated by unconscious cerebral processes. Conscious-will might block or veto the process, so that no act occurs.The existence of a veto possibility is not in doubt.
___Benjamin Libet, the 'freewill' experiment
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ ... ill%3F.pdf
Rationalism versus Fatalism : Freewill Within Determinism
http://bothandblog2.enformationism.info/page67.html
PS___Here's a discussion on "apparent randomness :
Apparent randomness is strong evidence for the existence of free will :
https://www.kialo.com/apparent-randomne ... -5685.2309
