THE ILLUSION OF FREE WILL…

Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism;
the way you play it is free will. -- Jawaharlal Nehru

Is Free Will A Myth

Have we been snookered into believing we have free will.., is our belief in freedom of choice just an illusion created by the conscious mind, to sooth our fragile egos… For centuries, starting with philosophers, followed by scientists.., this issue of free will has been debated.., and many believe -- free will is a myth.

That all of our actions and thoughts have been predetermined by our past patterns and even our genes… They have sited experiments where people were asked to blink one eye.., and before any conscious signal was sent to the brain as to blink, which eye to blink -- the process already started. Again, before any conscious signal was net to the brain, the subject had already determined which eye to blink…

Our minds are making decisions, before we are actually aware of it…

Regardless of how much we like to think we have free will.., science is telling us differently. And while many of these experience or tests, which have been performed, starting with a team of German neuroscientist in the 1960's, which led them to the term "Bereitschaftspotential" or "readiness potential" -- meaning our brain starts to react before we are consciously ware of it…

While many argued these tests are too primitive to come to any definitive conclusion -- modern science is proving them correct. Using technology, like an MRI scanner, scientists have concluded that these previous results are, in fact -- correct.., and that are brains are making decisions a whole 1 second before we are conscious of it!

Not convinced…

Another test, using electrodes implanted directly in the brain.., re-enforced the prior MRI testing.., and even increased the brain making our decisions 1.5 seconds before we were consciously aware of it -- being able to predict what a person would do with an 80%-90% accuracy. And that the conscious will (free will) is only added on to a decision that has already been, later…

Free will is defined as the ability to chose between different courses of action.., and that actions that are "free willed" are the only actions that are deserving of credit.., or blame. This is where the whole "moral issue" of free will gets a little sticky… If we don't have free will.., are we responsible for our actions...

Some people seem to think.., the whole --
"free will is an illusion" is morally reprehensible.

Yet, many people that believe in "fate..," something that has been predetermined and we have no control over, still believe in free will… A conundrum, to say the least… Fate, destiny.., and free will are inexplicably connected… If it was fate or destiny that is seen as the cause of a specific outcome -- how can free will exist...

The overwhelming sense of freedom, we cling too.., is one of the reasons we believe we have free will, it is the root of free will, so to speak -- but is it just tricking us into believing we are in control… After all, we know that freedom, is just an illusion -- we are to some many outside forces, that enslave us -- our jobs, mortgages, religion, governments, etc., etc.. And once we spey outside the guidelines of the concepts -- we get disciplined for doing so…

“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.” -- Frank Zappa
And even though the concept of "free will" is slightly more complicated than the concept of "freedom..," they are both ruled by the same constraints… It's more like, we have degrees of freedom and free will. While it would complete chaos without the typical restraints of freedom…

It could be considered the same with free will… If all of our thoughts are created without considering our past, upbringing or societal influences -- what is the point of experience… Our brains are always directed to react in the way they have already been influenced -- how free is our ability to think or act.., if we are being influenced by what has already been passed on to us by society… Bringing us back to the riddle that has confounded the greatest minds of all time… Is free will just an illusion..?


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