Bigthink - Idea Comments Feed

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Mon, 26 May 2008 10:54:10 +0100

I also struggled with the idea that humans dont have free will. While S44 and HP are logcally sound and convincing, I too find it hard to believe that I have no control over my actions. While my unwillingness to fully accept a lack of free will stems, no doubt, from my desire to have it, I still hope for a logical reprise, though I myself was unable to find one. It seems like we have the ability to influence our chemistry (by "choosing" to set an alarm clock, for instance, as my girl friend brought up when we were discussing the issue) this impulse too is accounted for by the electro-chemical machine in our skulls. It seems the chemicals are always first, even if those chemicals were stimulated by a thought, that thought was itself a result of chemical interactions; its not a "chicken and egg" argument as DG suggested somewhere in the many comments on Hilges post on the subject. The idea goes against my experience, but that does not make it untrue. But that doesn't mean I have to like it or accept it... thats up to me!

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Sat, 24 May 2008 11:59:46 +0100

FA, I read this on 5/17, and enjoyed it, but Didn't have a comment at that time. It does seem that free will is a necessity to us humans, and I believe that's one the things that keeps us getting out of bed every day, to see what happens next.
Thanks for the info, nice to know where the "source" resides. So. Cal. is one of the best climates in the states, I'm jealous!

S44, I usually agree with your explanations from a scientific standpoint. Sadly, I finally say to you that I tend to disagree with the notion that we have no control over our actions. To believe that we do not seems to reduce our abilities as a species, and that we submit to the forces of nature without choice.

but still, no god required. (NGR)

musycks, btw, great comment!

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:12:50 +0100

Would such computations ever be able to be made quickly enough to predict the action. I mean can we create a computer more effecient than our brain? wouldn't that be needed to analyze our brain chemistry and spit our a prediction of an action before the action occured? If not than we woudln't be able to "predict" such actions really.

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:27:10 +0100

I would disagree. Curentlly neurologist can detemine, if you are thinking of a certain object an the colour of that object simplly by analyzing brain patterns. When our knoledge of these patterns gets indepth enough we may be able to predict human action, but it would take imence amounts of computing power.

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:09:02 +0100

ss....i live in so cal....sorry for not responding to this earlier, forgot you had asked.

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:42:17 +0100

Saying that our actions are a result of the chemicals in our brain is true, and can be used as an all encompassing answer to questions on free will. On a person to person level, however, our free will will never be removed. No matter how far our understanding of the brain goes, we will never be able to predict the actions of a person with complete accuracy. For the reasons Dostoevsky talks about, people will commit actions that are unpredictable soley because they are unpredictable. Such actions prove that everyone has fre will in the sense that no person will ever be able to predict anothers actions correctly all the time. Though our actions are controlled by the chemicals in our brain this will never translate to people being able to accurately predict someones actions all the time.

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:42:37 +0100

Nice post FA, I've only done Crime and Punishment but I really enjoyed it.. sparse prose, stark reality with a philosophical overlay.. very cool.
as of free will?.. I think we have free will within the parameters of what our environment allows... like a piano player who has the choice to play any of the 88 keys laid out before him? you can play them in accepted harmonies or intervals, to provide something someone else might recognise and approve of (ensuring your survival!) or you can just bash away randomly and see if anyone will 'fill up your jar'... but hey, don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player!

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:36:38 +0100

The logic of the act is irelevant. The point is that any act no matter how absurd, complex or illogical is a result of atomic, and chemical interaction. We have no control over these prosseses and they determine our decissions.

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:10:41 +0100

I do think that people have free will, in large part due to Dostoevsky's reasoning. As soon as someone like Skeptic were to say that we don't, that neuroscience explains all of our actions, someone would do something so unreasonable, so unexpected and out of the ordinary, that we would have to say that no one could have predicted such an action. Such actions prove, to me, that we have free will. As long as one person is able to commit an act that is so outrageous and goes against all logic and all knowledge on the subject so that no one could possibly have predicted it, than all people have free will, no matter how predictable they are most of the time.

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:44:32 +0100

I paticularily like the bit with men being piano keys to be playde by the laws of nature.

Dostoevsky is on my reading list, but its tought to find his books in Russian. I always try to read authors in their original language if i know it.

If i am not mistaken neuroscience has already explained qway free will.

Comment on: Read Dostoevsky!

Bigthink — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:28:22 +0100

Great stuff! Indeed, he adresses the idea of original sin, and the beginnings of the attempt to control man with the use of delusion, am I way off, or fairly close?

FA, Where do you reside, roughly, my friend?