Tuesday 21 April 2009

Free will (?)

Free will... Is it just an illusion or something that we really have?
This is the subject of my upcoming presentation, I'm wondering if Neuroscience and free will can coexist. Most of the discussions have been based on Psychological outlook so far, I have to find a reliable article to support and take the side of any of these views.

Will write about it later but till then tell me what do you think? ;)

3 comments:

Hiva said...

You know I think we have free will in certain level but basically our will strongly affected by many parameters, such as where, how we raised.
For example, if I grow up in a very traditional family/society, it is highly possible that biggest part of my acts (which apparently comes from my will) are affected by long list of traditions that I thought. I think I choose to be like my dad but the truth is I raised that way.

well there are so many examples of people who decided to break traditions and choose what to do.

even people who have strongest will and nothing can make them to give up their taste are limited to basic human needs. Our needs affect our will, you can't decide to stay thirty for long (unless you want to suicide :) ).

What I want to say is that: we do have free will, but the degree of this freedom depends on : one's personality, circumstances he/she grow up in, basic humans needs...

Kisses

Anonymous said...

look up compatibilism or soft determinism... :)

Don Cox said...

I think we have will, but it is not free. We can wish to do only what is in our nature to do.