What is Free Will?
I'm tackling a class entitled "Free Will & Responsibility" this semester. I've jumped into the first text already, and it is delicious. (I'm mixing metaphors, I know. Sounds like I'm jello-wrestling.) So, the question is already planted in my mind -- what, exactly, is free will?I've worried about this quite a bit over the years. Does it mean that, at any given moment, I could make any choice? Now don't say something ridiculous like, "Could you choose to fly, smart guy?" What I mean is, among live options, could I choose anything? Or will my character, desires, etc. determine my choice?
Here's another spicy way to serve the question: If two people in two parallel worlds, who had exactly the same past, were faced with exactly the same choice at exactly the same time, must their choices be the same? Could Joe1 choose to vote Democrat and Joe2 choose Republican?
What do you think?
posted by Chris at 12:31 PM
2 Comments:
Chris, you're not laying the groundwork for a future post on Molinism, are you? ;)
Either way, i am interested to learn what you end up thinking. For my two cents, i am not as sure as i was before, but i am still thinking about it.
Blessings.
Okay, Chris, this is just off the top of my head...no philosophical theories to support it, just thinking out loud here...but I think character and moral values influence choices, just as much as desires influence choices. The spicy scenario suggested could result in two different votes. I think impulsivity has a significant influence as well. Some people tend to be more impulsive than others...those who have already made a decision, but in the last minute change it. Or what about compulisivity? Like compulsive liars? Plenty to think about.
Post a Comment
<< Home