Jun 27, 2011 / Topic Ideas

Do you believe in free-will? Can you prove what you believe?

Close Comments

Comments

  1. I believe we all have a choice. But then the choices we make are usually reactions to events happening all around us which could be considered as lack of choice and more cause and effect which denies free will. I’m not sure that really makes sense but it felt right inside my head!

    Like

  2. It is interesting to consider how many kinds of free will there are. How much free will do dogs have, say compared to a blade of grass?

    Like

    1. I think you asked a really tough qn here.

      I can only attempt to give my 2 cents worth it if I could shift the “free-will” part away from a localized point of it.

      Localized view (aka After) = Grass thinks it can only sway left or right
      Away from localized view (aka Before) = Before the grass was a grass, it chose to be a grass so all the animals and people can benefit from its role

      Hope that makes sense 😀

      Like

  3. I believe that we do have free will, and that free will is usually exercised within the boundaries of the law of the land, personal faith and moral obligation (and probably many other ‘boundaries’). Not to kick off a big debate, but my proof is in the Bible. God (who has total free will) made man in His image, or likeness, and then gave Adam a rule; don’t eat the fruit of that tree or you will die. The fact that Adam and Eve were able to eat the fruit means that they were able to choose to disobey the rule, despite knowing the consequences – they exercised their free will.

    Like

  4. Sure there’s free will. Well not completely free. You can buy one of those forms at the office supply store and fill it out, have it notarized, and you’ve got a will that’s almost free. Of course if you own anything more than a 1972 Honda you might want to get a lawyer and that would not be free.
    That’s not what you’re talking about is it? Yes there’s free will. Elijah said when he confronted the prophets of Baal, “Choose this day whom you will serve” so yes we do have a choice.
    I believe that God sent His Son to die for my sins and by believing that I have the promise of eternal life with Him. That has been proven to my satisfaction but I can’t ‘prove’ it to anybody else. It’s up to you to decide who you will believe.

    Like

  5. I believe in free will. We are ultimately responsible for all of our choices which determines our fate. Our free will only goes so far as there is also the free will of everything else in the universe. There isn’t a way to prove this. A person might believe some higher power(s) made me write that. I’d have no way to prove them wrong, nor could they prove to me they were right.

    Like

  8. Acredito sim, ele é o poder de decisão que Deus coloca em nossas mãos, dando-nos o direito de escolha em que caminho seguir : O Bem ou o Mal, A Ambição ou o Desapego, A Atividade ou a Preguiça, etc, etc,………..

    Like

  9. Sounds like someone watched the Adjustment Bureau movie. I just watched it and loved it. Yes you have free will to choose people you want. I have chosen badly and wish I could go back in time and change it….but I can’t. If you work, you don’t have free will.

    Like

  10. There is a difference in believing something or someone, and/or, knowing by experiencing something or someone in first person. We all have free will. It’s just whether or not we are aware that we know it, and our beliefs are usually founded upon what was instilled into us from being in a very young and impressionable age. Many have yet to take the time to examine where, what, and why one ‘believes’ what one does. Proof or the evidence of one having free will…we have the free will to rise up every day or stay in bed. That’s just the beginning of the choices we will make in each day…what makes a difference in the choices I make, is whether I remain conscious in making my choices, by listening to and following my Heart. Free will is what leads us to freedom to be who we authentically are, yet, it seems so often, we choose, use our free will to lead us into bondage. We fear rocking the boat, losing the relationship, healthy or not, and so we become slaves, to be who others want, and think we should be…self-examination is what allows us to hear what our Hearts are whispering, if we are willing to choose to spend some time each day, to stop, be still and listen to it…

    http://www.you-nique-by-design.com/self-examination-whats-in-my-bag/

    Like

  12. I believe in God and he gave us our own free will. That does not mean we do not follow the rules or else anarchy would reign the Devils dream. All the stupidity in the world is free will, pollution, toxins, war, banks; we just have to live through it before we pop our clogs.

    Like

  13. Free will exists. A dynamic process, freedom (free will) is continually being discovered in the “universal limiting space that defines it.” As knowledge accumulates, life’s expectations and goals may change. The value and meaning of relationships may change. What at one time was sought for pleasure and comfort may, with increased understanding, become unpleasant, and so on and so forth. Embedded within limiting conditions, freedom seeks to liberate itself from these conditions. Biologically, one adapts to environmental conditions or dies. Sociologically, one works to do no harm, unseat evil with good, and injustice with justice. Psychologically, one wrestles with oppressive demons or surrenders. My MA thesis (survey research) was an attempt to prove (through indirect methodology) the above. The results were mixed–but not totally insignificant. Great question!

    Like

  14. Free-will is hard to prove but maybe easier to show.
    There’s a plate of vegetable.
    When you feel like eating it, leave it and you win.
    When you feel like running away from it, just force yourself to a puny bite, and you win again!

    But yes, quite like what CHAPLAIN suggested: Free-will of choices in the possibilities presented to you.

    You can’t choose sushi when you have vegetable. Oh wait, actually you can. But it might take some time to get to it…

    Like

  16. Yes, I believe. It’s easy to prove. We have free mind. We can think, make ideas and desires. But, our actions or results are not on our own. It’s God to decide whether they can happen or not.

    Eko- Indonesia

    Like

  17. Absolutely, there’s a free will for all of us. We are living in a world free of imagination, free to dream of whatever we desire. There is no limit to the things that we can do as long as we are not stepping on somebody else’s foot. Most importantly, always abide by the rules governing the state.
    Basically, we are in-charge of our life. Nobody else does it better than yourself. You shouldn’t listen to anyone on what they’re trying to impose or say to you. You should first weigh the circumstances, if it will soon benefit you doing it in the future.

    Like

  18. We all have the freedom to express ourselves. There are different ways of expressing oneself. By way of speaking, writing, communicating, etc. It’s up to us on which mode we are comfortable of using. We all have the right to do whatever we want to do as long as we are responsible and mature enough for the consequences of our own actions. We, are all grown up and I have reason to believe that we can definitely distinguish the right from wrong.

    Like

  20. I believe we need to have a belief in free will as we have so much invested in the idea that we must have a modicum of control over our lives. I also believe we have no control over our destiny – just how long we take to get there … do we choose the easy or the hard way? That’s where we have free will and nowhere else.

    Like

  21. I suspect we need to believe in free will as we have so much invested in the idea that we have some control over our lives – to think otherwise, for most people, would lead to depression. I suspect we have no control over our destiny – we just have control over how long we take to get there; do we take the hard road or the easy one?

    Like

  24. i believe that we have the ability to choose between options in life… but the reason why we chose it is another question…

    Like

  25. Yes, we all have free will. And free will isn’t just about “big decisions,” free will can also be seen is as simple as deciding whether to choose that fries or salad.

    Like

  27. I believe God has given us freewill. We can explain damage or death due to others as exercise of their freewill. Likewise we may have to explain the death or injury of babies or old people due to natural calamities as exercise of the freewill of natural forces like storm, earthquake, tsunami…Is there any other explanation, available?

    Like