Do We Have Free Will (A Philosophical Approach)
It seems to me that when one speaks of free will one imagines it to be the right to do what ever, when ever they want. Free will is an idea that we are free and our actions are not bound by laws, rules and regulations or any predetermined destiny. What does this mean? If one is truly free than they have the right to kill, I don’t agree with any argument that suggests that because a person does not have a right to kill or harm other, therefore, they are not free because, the person whom they would kill or harm would have the freedom to live or not be harmed. So what is freedom and does it exist? One could say that freedom is an idea that was brought about to maintain order in a hostile society. In other words, freedom is not a right for one to enact at all, but an idea given to society that would protect them from the actions of others. Or one could say that freedom is a right, in other words, the right to be free gives one the ability to act the way they feel fit. What about the idea that there is a predetermined destiny, that is to say, that there is a “God” who has set a path for everyone. Would one be free?
I spoke to Jolan who is a co-worker of mine and is a Christian. I asked her if she believes that God knows everything that she has done and is going to do in her life. At first, she explained that she thinks God does, she stated “God knows everything.” At this point, I ask her is there anyway that God would not know, she said “no.” I explained if god knows everything that you are going to do that means that he has set a path for you correct, she said “yes.” I said that means that you are bound by his path and there is nothing that you can do in order to change it correct, she hesitated a while and then said “yes.” Then you have no freedom, no say in your life, she didn’t like this idea very much so she didn’t agree instead she explained “yes she thinks that God does know everything, however, she doesn’t.” In other words, she believes that because God has not told her what actions she is going to take in her life she steel feels that she has the freedom to anticipate them and the freedom to execute them. However, what if the motivation to do something comes from the thought of desires, are you free?
Fraud wrote that “man is free only to the extent that his behavior is not unconsciously motivated at all.” In other words, all actions are caused by reasons that you lack awareness of; therefore one doesn’t choose to make those actions consciously.
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