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Free will vs. determinism

and effect.

For example, we wake up early in the morning, for we must reach our destination at a specific time without being tardy. The will to not be late, causes the effect of waking up early, which represents a cause and effect relation. Similarly, we lock the door of our house when we exit to protect our belongings, for an unlocked door may result in burglary. We stop our cars at the red light, because we must yield to the opposite traffic. Are these choices of actions fostered by determinism? Absolutely not. All of these actions are caused by free will. These examples epitomize the will of humans to act on the fact of causality, which has relevance in our lives.

If causation was nonexistent, we wouldn't have any course of action. The world would be a mess and literally dull. It is apparent that free will exists in the world. We have the choice to attend school to gain knowledge and have the choice to skip school. We read a book when we desire and put it down when we desire. It has nothing to do with prior deterministic events controlling us. We are not puppets that are instructed to act or move under some battery force.

Therefore, determinism is a false philosophy. It doesn't stand on any logical ground. Our lives, decisions, behaviors, and actions being controlled by some prior force that render us incapable of living a free-willed life is an illusion. We are free, to some extent, to select our outcomes by taking the most appropriate actions.

Consequently, if one decides to live a life of crime (especially one who commits murder), then he should be punished accordingly, because his own free will made him commit the crime. People who argue that one is guiltless from his crimes do so to avoid responsibility and incrimination - only to hide behind determinism.

Moreover, if determinism is true, the human psyche cannot control anything, for previous events are in full control of the mind and body. If determinism is true, humans are guiltless of every action they may execute (bad or good), for those actions were bound to happen. Claiming all human actions are caused negates a person's moral responsibility, which means that there wouldn't be any basis for laws to exist, for no one is held accountable for his/her actions.

If determinism is true, there is absolutely no reason to strive for goodness because the future is already fixed for us. In such case, some people would be born good and some would be born bad, some would be destined to be successful and other destined for failure, and so forth.

I totally reject to the theory of determinism. Free will is clearly evident in the world that we live in today; it is the embodiment of humankind, unlike determinism. We are not robots that are controlled by data programs, or unknown prior forces. We are acting agents that have the free will to do what we want - anytime, at any place, to an extent. The almighty Father, GOD, also plays a role in the world to some degree.

Aided Source
http://www.spaceandmotio n.com/Philosophy-Free-Will-Det erminism.htm
(Retrieval date: March 20, 2008)

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