Free Will and Determinism

Just a brief refutation of the idiots who go around saying all their actions COULD be determined. If determinism were true, minds and consciousness itself could be said to fail to exist - everything would be a giant machine of cause-effect. But if the universe IS deterministic, then pointing this out would be futile - and determined.

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• mrcropper
• determinism
• philosophy
• free
• will

[D4Shawn]

So... consciousness is not "natural" or part of the "natural world"?

[MrCropper]

"consciousness is not "natural" or part of the "natural world"?"

Of course it is. But just because it is natural doesn't mean it ISN'T a form of causation. It can be BOTH natural AND a form of causation.

[AtomicExplosion95695]

The cause of someone jumping off a building is watching Twilight.

[IronicKismet]

What a terrible refutation.

[henryporter101]

@MrCropper It's amazing that you've used a Hitchens' joke to back up a superstitious belief.The discussion about whether animals have free will isn't splitting hairs-we are animals!Anyone advocating free will must say that animals have it or some magical event occurred to coincide with the evolution of the homo sapien.

[baldurus1]

@JohananRaatz The uncertainty of the uncertainty principle comes from us studying the uncertainty principle, not from the quantum particles. We don't know if they move randomly or in a logical way governed by laws of physics and anyone claiming otherwise doesn't understand quantum mechanics. There is a real effort to bring about a theory combining all aspects of physics, a theory of everything. There would be no point to attempt at a theory of everything if we thought particles moved randomly.

[JohananRaatz]

@MrCropper It's obvious what's wrong with pitting free-will against determinism anyway though. Determinism has been proven wrong, just listen to Kaku: watch?v=lFLR5vNKiSw

[dalvani]

So, you may either accept that actions are determined and that even your "urge" or will to do something is determined by that causality chain, or just believe that there is a "supernatural" instance of "self" or "agent", independent from nature's laws, that is driving your actions. Either you follow science basics or you bounce all the way to the other extreme of supernaturality. Compatibilism is nonsense.

[dalvani]

If you understand the basics of science, you understand that within our Universe, causality drives all events. Something is always caused by something. You say your "will power" causes your actions. But then, what causes your will power? It is set of brain electric and chemical changes, which are caused by previous changes, which can be tracked back to the big bang in an infinite chain of causality. That is just the way things are. Period.

[SuperKittyPancake]

Most endings of your videos have something I find humorous in them.

[IronicKismet]

So schizophrenia, bi-polar, depression, asperger's syndrome don't "cause" certain decision making behavior? Addiction isn't caused? Is only a healthy mind "free".