Timothy
Men of Steel 
He's a Crafty-Sort of Fellow
Posts: 8,716
|
Post by Timothy on Jan 13, 2008 15:01:36 GMT -5
I believe in the concept of "free will" in that I believe humans (and animals) ultimately decide their own outcome. I do not believe that our fates were 100% predetermined by a higher power, but I do feel that "fate" can best be defined as the consequences of our actions... Sort of like "the punishment fits the crime", without necessarily negative connotations.
What do you believe and why?
|
|
|
|
Post by Papa Smurf on Jan 13, 2008 20:14:13 GMT -5
Free Will? do we really have a free will or is it just a Pre-programmed response to stimuli with a link to the social structure of apparent least resistance and a genetic need to increase power and procreate while keeping the genetic group is a stable condition?
Does your definition of free will cover only individual actions or to the course of humanity as a whole? On a whole I don't believe humanity has a free will. Though individual people may be able to defeat destiny, Large groups of people more often than not follow the same path of growth and decay.
|
|
Timothy
Men of Steel
He's a Crafty-Sort of Fellow
Posts: 8,716
|
Post by Timothy on Jan 23, 2008 10:44:42 GMT -5
Free Will? do we really have a free will or is it just a Pre-programmed response to stimuli with a link to the social structure of apparent least resistance and a genetic need to increase power and procreate while keeping the genetic group is a stable condition? Does your definition of free will cover only individual actions or to the course of humanity as a whole? On a whole I don't believe humanity has a free will. Though individual people may be able to defeat destiny, Large groups of people more often than not follow the same path of growth and decay.  Hmm... I guess when I was thinking about it, I was thinking about individuals. I can see what you're talking about when you talk about groups though. |
|
|
|
Post by genozaur on Jan 28, 2008 8:11:20 GMT -5
despite how much certain politicain and certain individuals in the church would prefer to believe otherwise yes we do possess free will.
|
|
Timothy
Men of Steel
He's a Crafty-Sort of Fellow
Posts: 8,716
|
Post by Timothy on Jan 28, 2008 8:40:06 GMT -5
despite how much certain politicain and certain individuals in the church would prefer to believe otherwise yes we do possess free will. An excellent point; the problem with the topic of "Free will" is that there will always be people in positions of authority (whatever kind that may be) who will tell you otherwise as a method of control. |
|
|
|
Post by genozaur on Jan 28, 2008 15:40:15 GMT -5
i say nuts to them and their control issues
when it starts to invade a person's private life in a unjustifiable manner when said person is living their life as a law abiding citizen that is when the person who is the victim is well within their rights to hit back in equal force and to otherwise think for their self
hence the term free thought.
|
|
|
|
Post by Papa Smurf on Feb 3, 2008 7:02:04 GMT -5
but how do you know that is really free will?
Dont you all worry i'm not here to control you. that won't happen until I take over the WORLD!!! Bwahahahahaha!!! ahem.
You may think you as a person really have a free will but couldn't that just be a programmed subroutine? Even lashing out at attempts from others -who may be performing without their own will- who are trying to curtail your own percieved free will may be a pre-set action. For instance: how often do you really think before you speak or act?
Now, Mr. G and welcome to DC, You speak of a Govenerment v.s person situation in the above post, but I dont see where free will or even free thought comes into play. I assume you are speaking of the Big Brother, but with or without your own personal free will/thought does that make a difference when your house is being invaded? They invade you react. no actual thought is involved. Even ants react in this matter. To think that you have thought may be only a rationalization after the fact that you considered the options.
|
|
Wolf
Mysterious Stranger
"I have a shotgun."
Posts: 761
|
Post by Wolf on Mar 10, 2008 20:41:46 GMT -5
...psych topic... WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!  SWEET! oh, where to begin?! Well... as dad would say... KISS method it is. I believe we have free will only as far as we allow it. We are pre-programmed before we would be aware of it to do/say/think/ect. certain things before we were capable of full reasoning (the best example of this is we all speak a language) However, it is up to us just how much we allow ourselves to fall into that horribly easy routine and just let someone else think for us. If we fight back, we may retain our free will. If we don't, we won't. We have no control over group situations due to the phenomena of "mob mentality", we can only control ourselves and perhaps find a way to sway the mob. However, due to our own fight to avoid being part of the mob, it is very difficult to do anything that will catch the attention of its members and effectively eliminating any probablity of it happening. Therefore, it really comes down to question of what is free will? |
|
|
|
Post by Papa Smurf on Mar 12, 2008 1:53:58 GMT -5
ooohhh a new challenger appears! and raising a good point as well. that's the real question isnt it? what is free will? To debate whether we have something or not we shouldknow what that something is, shouldn't we? and did I really have the free will to ask that?
|
|
Wolf
Mysterious Stranger
"I have a shotgun."
Posts: 761
|
Post by Wolf on Mar 13, 2008 14:51:56 GMT -5
(gasp) the world may never know... karma from me to the first person to place that.
|
|
