Free will

[Shredderbeam]

That's exactly what Im saying, the negative thing's they've done directly affect the bad things that happen in their life. In my opinion anyways.

It's not really a justified belief if a negative thing happens to a person, and they happen to have committed negative acts. That's the "Cause and Effect" fallacy, which takes two possibly unrelated events and tries to link them.

Yes, I myself do believe in reincarnation. I know that there's no evidence of it, but it seems like the most logical thing to me, besides just rotting in the ground. Which very well may be what happens.

Why does it seem logical?

 

[Jansen]

Where does the energy in a power grid go when the grid goes down? Does it form a ghost?

now I really want to know the answer to that question.

-.-

 

[Shredderbeam]

now I really want to know the answer to that question.

-.-

It doesn't go anywhere. The electrons stay in the metal core of the power lines. However, that is hardly any electricity. For it to be dangerous, huge amounts have to run through at a tremendous speed.

 

[Jansen]

It doesn't go anywhere. The electrons stay in the metal core of the power lines. However, that is hardly any electricity. For it to be dangerous, huge amounts have to run through at a tremendous speed.

Man.. I was really hoping it involved ghosts

on topic:

This argument really boils down to whether or not you believe in fate or destiny.

 

[highstandards10]

Perhaps this is a situation for the principle of Occam's Razor?
I do agree with ShredderBeam's logic though.

 

[The Supreme Intelligence]

I consider a soul as a person's personality, because that is what we can understand of it as that is what shows. To others, a soul is merely a lie in which we are socially told to believe in.

Shredder, that was why I cleared stated death for no reason, all those examples you provided are sufficient enough to be reasons.

 

[Shredderbeam]

Nobody dies without any reason - there is always something physical that caused it.

 

[The Supreme Intelligence]

I was told that by a reliable source, but I just didn't believe it. However, it has now been confirmed, it only makes sense.

 

[EL17E]

I think it exists. If you were born into a religion with certain laws, you could convert. If you were a slave, you could decide to try and escape. Suicide is illegal, but you could choose to do so.

 

[Shredderbeam]

Or perhaps that's always how it was going to happen. If you end up converting to Judaism, perhaps the particles in your brain that make up your mind, with their set positions and velocities, were always going to interact in such a manner to make that happen.

 

[what?]

As far as free will goes, it can be rather easily argued that the way anything happens is the only way it can happen due to the constant forces manipulating everything that happens. No single thing/action is independent, there is always some other force acting on it and manipulating it. Basically free will = no.

 

[megaman 2006]

There is really just know way to argue against what you said shredder, everything is predetermined. But I don't think it has as much to do with the particles in your brain as much as the environment around you.

But I've got something for you to think about. With logic like that, if we became advanced enough, amazingly advanced then we could construct how the future would turn out. Then change how the future would turn out. But that would still not be free will.

 

[Ägë øƒ WïšÐøm]

I wouldn't call it "Free Will", but more like "Limited Will".

So why they call it "Free Will", I don't know; but if we can't even choose whether we want to smoke weed or not, we aren't really free.

I'm not a smoker anymore, but I still don't believe we should be withheld from our own decisions.

Laws should be enforced, but at the same time we should be allowed a bit more freedom.

 

[♀Alien♀]

People have the power to do whatever they wish to do, however, there mind and emotions won't allow them to do most things.

In class, I have all power to take my pencil and stab someone in the neck, but emotions and inner feelings, or better yet, fear of consequences, holds me back
from doing whatever I want.

I can do whatever I want, or better yet, I have free will, but I choose not to. Many people try to make arguments that no one has free will, and that the governments are controlling everything, but even though the government restricts killing, people still kill.

A persons brain may stop themselves from doing something horrid or cruel, but that is from inside powers and personal vendettas.

BTW - If a soul is energy, energy is a form of matter, and matter is neither created nor destroyed, or in this case, destroyed, what REALLY is a soul? Since a conscience really isn't energy .. 0.-

 

[Shredderbeam]

I can do whatever I want, or better yet, I have free will, but I choose not to.

Or perhaps that's the illusion you have as a 3.5 dimensional being.

 

[theincrediblehaxx0r]

I think that the idea of a soul is kind of like a God of the gaps, hundreds of years ago people were unaware of neural connections, and the role of different parts of the brain. So they created the idea of a soul to explain this. Even to this day it is very unclear how the brain works. There are billions neural connections and we still have no idea how they work. But I am sure that with further research and technology, we will have a more complex understanding.

 

[♀Alien♀]

Or perhaps that's the illusion you have as a 3.5 dimensional being.

Well, unless my mind was being controlled by those around me, and will of brain had nothing to do with my emotions and feelings, then I would say that it was, indeed, an illusion. However, I do control my own mind.

Contradiction time ..

Even though those in higher positions say that I can't do something, or limit me from doing something, like I said before, doesn't necessarily mean that I can't do it. Free will is lost as far as doing something along the lines of 'sneaking into Area51', but that kind of free will is only lost to those who's minds believe it to be.

There is a much bigger discussion which most refuse themselves the brain power to understand ..

Alien

 

[Shredderbeam]

Oh, no, I'm not talking about government mind control, I'm talking about the fact that the human brain is nothing more than particles, each one with a specific position and velocity, and that they are going to interact in a specific manner.

 

[hitmanchimp6]

And even if one believes in religion, i.e Christianity..God gives us free will to do as we please, but if he already knows the past and the future..aren't we already living in some sort of guidelines.

No. Because he knows what we will do, he just doesn't make us do it. It's an extremely hard concept to grasp for some.

 

[hitmanchimp6]

Oh, no, I'm not talking about government mind control, I'm talking about the fact that the human brain is nothing more than particles, each one with a specific position and velocity, and that they are going to interact in a specific manner.

although it is a bit confusing, i think i know what you mean. Ill give it a shot. I defined what you are saying as, 'You either make make choices with your brain mentally, or your brain makes choices due to the biological make-up.'
A hard question indeed. I am gonna have to say that I think you mentally decide what to do.