What’s your definition of free will?

Discuss any topics related to metaphysics (the philosophical study of the principles of reality) or epistemology (the philosophical study of knowledge) in this forum.
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Sage4557
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Sage4557 »

Free will has nothing to do with the limits of society, it's a state for which one recognizes the preconceived direction a person "should" or would take based on circumstance. All is justified. Free will is the internal essence of being. We can decide to override our actions to conform, we can give in to "norm" to pass through life and never been known. Know one truly knows anyone. Free will can not be predicted. It is intrinsic. We make decisions in every second of our life. All based on information we have learned. But the act of deciding would not exist if not for the embodiment of a will that will forever be free
Fcacciola
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Fcacciola »

OK, let me see if I followed you.

You are saying that, once should look at the, say, "observables of free-will" and go from there. Common discourse about people choices is one of them. There are others, of course.

I completely agree with this. By exploring what it really is to choose our actions we explore what free-will might effectively be.

However, you seem to believe that's not what I did, or that I am building an idea of free-will that doesn't derive from said observations. Well, that's just not the case. It might seems like it, but is not.

What happens is that, what is the nature of our choices (what you refer to common discourse) is only half the analysis. How is the one making those choices (what is human made of) is the other half.
Syamsu
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Syamsu »

Not really interested in your personal fantasy of how free will functions. Just interested in accurately reflecting the logic that people use in common discourse with the word choosing.
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Sage4557
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Sage4557 »

Syamsu wrote:Not really interested in your personal fantasy of how free will functions. Just interested in accurately reflecting the logic that people use in common discourse with the word choosing.
But wouldn't the acceptance of the notion of free will need to be established before a discourse on "choosing"?
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Atreyu
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Atreyu »

I have no definition of "free will" because I consider the term a misnomer. There is no such thing as an "unfree will". All will is "free" by definition.

My definition of "will", however, is "the ability to make something happen which would otherwise not"....
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SimpleGuy
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by SimpleGuy »

After the concept of the conditional free will:
This is the capability of a person to evolve after ones personal wishes and motives, and anything what can be done is free to do although the person has sometimes to face the consequences for himself.

-- Updated November 14th, 2017, 11:32 am to add the following --

It is clear that this definition should coalesque with the emotion or feeling not to steered in anyway. This can be sometimes bypassed via usage of drugs. The dopaaminogenic center in the brain then fools us. As one sees the personal perception of free will is already influenced via drug intake, strong emotions and hypnosis and even injury , so this is intersecting with beeing sound in mind and disposing in memory. Free will is something either subjective experience or restricted in its first definition by law and medical terms of beeing sound in mind and disposing in ones memory (im Vollbesitz seiner geistigen Kräfte sein).
Togo1
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Togo1 »

I tend to define free will as "The ability to consciously select from between realisable alternatives."

However, there are other forms of free will. I should be recognised that free will can also be defined as freedom from coercion, or freedom from undue influence. These are all different ideas that happen to have the same label - it just depends what you are claiming will is free from.
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Mgrinder
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Mgrinder »

Togo1 wrote:I tend to define free will as "The ability to consciously select from between realisable alternatives."

However, there are other forms of free will. I should be recognised that free will can also be defined as freedom from coercion, or freedom from undue influence. These are all different ideas that happen to have the same label - it just depends what you are claiming will is free from.
Yes agree. Kinda the point of the post. Glad its being adressed.
Namelesss
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Namelesss »

PhiloJ wrote:What’s your definition of free will?
'Free-will/choice' is a 'feeling/thought', ego.
The belief in 'free-will/choice' is insanity and displays symptomatically!
Realistically, scientifically, philosophically, 'free-will/choice is impossible!
It is just vanity, Pride.
Chili
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Chili »

Everyone experiences that actions *have* consequences.
An investigation of cause-and-effect suggests to the mind that all actions *are* consequences - of things which came before.
That's the point where "free will" begins to appear as "life unexamined".
Namelesss
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Re: What’s your definition of free will?

Post by Namelesss »

Chili wrote:Everyone experiences that actions *have* consequences.
An investigation of cause-and-effect suggests to the mind that all actions *are* consequences - of things which came before.
That's the point where "free will" begins to appear as "life unexamined".
'Causality/creation' is impossible (scientifically and philosophically) as you imagine it.

'Cause' and 'effect' is a very clumsy (and obsolete) way to say "two mutually arising opposite Perspectives of the same One Event!"
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