On Free Will

[MarcusA]

Free Will is limited. - Erasmus

Do you agree with the above statement or not?

[Asmodean]

I do not. It's... Complicated.

Yes, the things you can't do make for a far larger infinity than the things you can. However, Free Will is not the capacity to execute any choice to success, but merely the capacity to make such a choice.

You can choose to jump all the way to the Moon. You may not succeed, but you can make that choice. You can choose right in stead of left. You may get hit by a truck, but again, your choice.

In a strictly-deterministic Universe, you could argue that there is no choice because every action is an inevitable result of prior actions. I, however, just see that as changing of the framework without any practical impact on the conclusions.

[MarcusA]

I do not. It's... Complicated.

Yes, the things you can't do make for a far larger infinity than the things you can. However, Free Will is not the capacity to execute any choice to success, but merely the capacity to make such a choice.

You can choose to jump all the way to the Moon. You may not succeed, but you can make that choice. You can choose right in stead of left. You may get hit by a truck, but again, your choice.

In a strictly-deterministic Universe, you could argue that there is no choice because every action is an inevitable result of prior actions. I, however, just see that as changing of the framework without any practical impact on the conclusions.

Is it your opinion, Asmo, that free will is limitless and it is humanity that limits itself?

[Asmodean]

Free will is just the capability to make choices according to your own wants and needs and/or contrary to others' wants and needs. You can decide to do whatever. Whether you succeed in its execution is a different matter. A paralysed person can make the choice to stand up and go for a run. The corresponding signals from their brain will get nowhere (let us say, for simplicity) but that makes them incapable of executing the end goal of their choice - not of the choosing itself.

Humanity is quite obviously limited in many ways, yes.

[MarcusA]

To me, free will is a choice between Being and being simply an animal. Simple animal instinct doesn't always guide me but it does sometimes guide me down the wrong path.

[Asmodean]

Yeah... I'd say that's legitimate. It's your ability to make a choice contrary to your own nature as well.

[MarcusA]

Man is simply what he is, a god or a demon.

[MarcusA]

I am free to do as I please within reason.

[Tank]

Who defines what is reason?

[MarcusA]

Who defines what is reason?

Who but you.

[Tank]

Who defines what is reason?

Who but you.

So we're talking anarchy then?

[MarcusA]

Who defines what is reason?

Who but you.

So we're talking anarchy then?

No, law and order.

[billy rubin]

law is defined by lawgivers, which are defined by power.

not by reason./

[MarcusA]

What is truth but the heart of a poet.

[MarcusA]

Free Will keeps us from slavery.