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Metaphysics & Psychology

Biologist: free will is an illusion

By T.K. Randall
March 8, 2010 · Comment icon 42 comments

Image Credit: Wikipedia
For thousands of years philosophers and scientists have pondered over whether or not free will actually exists.
Do we really have 'free will' to decide our own path or are we simply governed by a combination of chemistry and external forces ?
When biologist Anthony Cashmore claims that the concept of free will is an illusion, he's not breaking any new ground. At least as far back as the ancient Greeks, people have wondered how humans seem to have the ability to make their own personal decisions in a manner lacking any causal component other than their desire to "will" something.


Source: Physorg | Comments (42)




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Comment icon #33 Posted by Helen of Annoy 14 years ago
No no I wasn't calling you a Christian lol I was just using it as an example. What I meant was that science has evidenced that due to biological processes and our environment, free will doesn't actually exist. So in order for free will to exist you would have to believe that it does with a faith of some sort, such as Christianity. If it's not scientifically possible, then it would fall under the category of faith. That's all I meant, and as I say...nothing wrong with believing that! Not so fast, they concluded something, to prove it they have to offer more than their guess on how mind actually... [More]
Comment icon #34 Posted by Codehook 14 years ago
Not so fast, they concluded something, to prove it they have to offer more than their guess on how mind actually works. Proof of free will is human behaviour itself, so to disprove it someone will have to explain why are there so many differences where there should be none - if biology (which is hereditary) and environment (which is the same for a group) are the only factors. I didn't say proven, I said evidenced. And we do fundamentally know, biologically speaking, how the mind works...so his conclusion is pretty water tight. It's simply hard to accept, and to not accept it is to believe in t... [More]
Comment icon #35 Posted by Helen of Annoy 14 years ago
I didn't say proven, I said evidenced. And we do fundamentally know, biologically speaking, how the mind works...so his conclusion is pretty water tight. It's simply hard to accept, and to not accept it is to believe in the supernatural. Or, it might be simply arrogant to claim understanding of human mind after observing only one, physiological, aspect of it. It’s also rather defensive to label broader view as supernatural-believing, instead of explaining the obvious huge gaps and inconsistencies in current ‘mechanics only’ theory. There’s nothing supernatural in nature, there are only... [More]
Comment icon #36 Posted by Codehook 14 years ago
In that light, could we go back to explaining, for instance, how come we are so unexpectedly different? Why am I not a mere copy of my ancestors or just another of identical members of my group?Until then, this theory not only is not water proof, it leaks like an old sieve. That's very well explained from what we know of genetics. We are all born with a different set of genes, which predisposes us to different behaviour, which is also triggered from our environment(s). I don't know, you seem to be ignoring what we know of science to fit your own theory. That really isn't the way you should be ... [More]
Comment icon #37 Posted by Helen of Annoy 14 years ago
That's very well explained from what we know of genetics. We are all born with a different set of genes, which predisposes us to different behaviour, which is also triggered from our environment(s). I don't know, you seem to be ignoring what we know of science to fit your own theory. That really isn't the way you should be doing it. If anything, you should be formulating a theory based on what science has evidenced. After all, that's what it's there for. Matter of perspective, since I have the exact same opinion about that theory – it ignores everything that doesn’t fit into it. Genes mix,... [More]
Comment icon #38 Posted by Codehook 14 years ago
Matter of perspective, since I have the exact same opinion about that theory – it ignores everything that doesn’t fit into it. Genes mix, but don’t change unless there’s a mutation so we’d have new personality traits only in cases where mutation has occurred. Regarding environment, we’d have deviations from group only when environment changes, which is obviously not true. (Think of identical twins, grown up in the same environment. Ummm, I mean absolutely no offence to you but you have just shown your blatant disregard and ignorance for science. First of all, genes have a direct re... [More]
Comment icon #39 Posted by Helen of Annoy 14 years ago
I offered we elegantly agree that we disagree and this is what I get in return? If you insist... How on Earth you managed to conclude I was denying the genetic influence on behaviour? Let me simplify my last post for you: I have mummy and daddy. Im nervous like mummy, I can curse like daddy, but Im so damn sarcastic like no one ever was in my family. So, I inherited some traits and developed some on my own. Do you understand my point now? By the way, how do you think different eye colours occurred in the first place if not through mutations? And you dare to scoff at me? Let me simplify that to... [More]
Comment icon #40 Posted by Codehook 14 years ago
I offered we elegantly agree that we disagree and this is what I get in return? You were making points in your post which attempted (unsuccessfully) to disprove what I was saying. I think I'm well within my rights to challenge you! Let me simplify my last post for you: I have mummy and daddy. I’m nervous like mummy, I can curse like daddy, but I’m so damn sarcastic like no one ever was in my family. So, I inherited some traits and developed some on my own. Do you understand my point now? By the way, how do you think different eye colours occurred in the first place if not through mutations... [More]
Comment icon #41 Posted by Helen of Annoy 14 years ago
Thank you, Codehook. I can see your points and although I haven't changed my mind, they certainly make me think. See you in some other thread.
Comment icon #42 Posted by Mangled7 14 years ago
Free will is an iullusion. An upper force choreographs it that way, and if you break out of it, they'll just cover it up. They'll reprogram it. It will as if you had never broken out. that's just my opinion of it. Nothing much else to say on the subject.


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