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Do you believe that the future is deterministic or non-deterministic? Do you believe in free will? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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A very simple philosophical question that can trigger an existential crisis. Do not sue me if you do get an existential crisis, that was probably a pre-determined event... or is it?

spoiler

I mean I personally don't see why the universe is non-deterministic, every time you flip a coin, or roll a dice, if you knew the initial conditions and the forces applied to the coin/dice, the atmosphere, wind, etc., you could predict the results with absolute certainty. And free will does not exist. But that's just my view on this matter, who knows what the universe really is.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

For me, I've always struggled with the definition of free will. Is there even a will to be free? The voice in my head is just a story "I" tell myself. So really, I'm just this conscious presence. I can observe thoughts that manifest within that presence. But those thoughts aren't under my control. They're just occurring.

I remember watching a video from Sam Harris years ago that really brought this to the forefront. Think of a movie. Any movie. What is it? Why did you pick that movie? Did you have conscious control over what movie you picked? Or did it just pop into your consciousness?

Either everything is purely deterministic, purely random, or something in between. But on that spectrum, there really isn't room for free will. Simply the illusion of it.