Sharkull Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 As someone who listened to an hour-plus debate on the subject of "free will", it needs a very precise definition before you ask if someone thinks it exists, or people will be talking about different concepts. That one-sentence definition from the dictionary is not what most people mean when they ask someone if they think it exists.Excellent points here. When I talk about free will I'm considering the nature of reality, the nature of human consciousness. A full and complete discussion on these things definitely involves both scientific and theological subjects... and since theological discussions are forbidden here (completely understandably) I don't see how much the subject of free will can be explored. Discussions revolving around evolution often are loaded with overtones of larger issues, which are again leading to forbidden territory here. If I ever want to explore my beliefs on these things, I think finding a venue other than a gaming community's forums would be more appropriate. As much as I don't want to, I think I'll bow out of this discussion... leaving my previous posts intact in case they are of value to anyone.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipz43 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I believe in Both. Evolution: The only other probable explanation is bacterial life somehow surviving a meteorite's entrance into our atmosphere. What else could it be? Freewill: The human mind has two main instincts: to stay alive, and to breed. If suicide and abstainance vows don't convince you, what about when we are given multiple choices and have to think about them before we decide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tchos Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 bacterial life somehow surviving a meteorite's entrance into our atmosphere.That's panspermia or exogenesis, not evolution. Evolution is change, not origin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arandie Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 ...even though freewill is ruled out by science :wacko: What the vulk? :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tchos Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I think he means that if the movement of every particle that comprises a person and everything they come in contact with could be mapped out, and their relationship fully understood, the actions of that individual would be completely predictable, based on each separate instant of experience, and the way the mind changes from moment to moment. This, of course, is prohibitively complex, and can't be done in any foreseeable future, but the principle seems sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 One would have though that the possible combinations were so astronomically large that it will be impossible to prove for years to come that there is no such thing as free will, even if there isn't. I know that already in law courts defendants are trying to rely on pleas that they only did as their brains were programmed to do. It means that the moral arguements for punishment as they were do not stand up. However since it has to be one rule for everyone (in other words all crimes are pre-determined) the punishments need not be changed provided they are designed to prevent or discourage continuations. Erm - well, I know what I meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arandie Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 i believe god or such a power controls evolution and guides life Oh... How I would love to debate this with you, but, unfortunately, we cannot due to the forum's rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tchos Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I'm afraid that's asking for the topic to be locked. I thought we were managing to salvage a civil abstract discussion here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 i believe god or such a power controls evolution and guides life Oh... How I would love to debate this with you, but, unfortunately, we cannot due to the forum's rules. Arandie, you know the rules. The words you used came perilously close to trolling. I have edited them out. Please don't do it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkull Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Who answered "None"? :blink: I'd like to hear the reasoning behind that response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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