Do we have the freedom to think?

[blindkilla]

Even though your thoughts can be influenced, we still have the freedom to make choices as we please.

 

[TobyL65]

But are they your choices if they are influenced?

 

[Comprensión Mutua]

Reason is impervious to indoctrination (though some struggle to use it irrespectively), though I feel that ''thinking'' involves more than reason alone. As far as I am concerned, thinking also involves beliefs and opinions, which are influenceable. In many societies, children are told what is right and wrong. In many cases, this trend also applies to various ethical issues. For this reason, I'd propose that we do have the capability to think freely (through reason), though aspects of our thinking may be less liberated than we're aware.

 

[Arya]

Reason is impervious to indoctrination (though some struggle to use it irrespectively), though I feel that ''thinking'' involves more than reason alone. As far as I am concerned, thinking also involves beliefs and opinions, which are influenceable. In many societies, children are told what is right and wrong. In many cases, this trend also applies to various ethical issues. For this reason, I'd propose that we do have the capability to think freely (through reason), though aspects of our thinking may be less liberated than we're aware.

Or your entire logic could be wrong, since the concept of thought was developed long before the concept of peer influence, by any standard.

 

[Comprensión Mutua]

Or your entire logic could be wrong, since the concept of thought was developed long before the concept of peer influence, by any standard.

I'm not sure what you're asserting. Logic is universal, impervious to influence and eternally consistent.

 

[Arya]

As far as I am concerned, thinking also involves beliefs and opinions, which are influenceable.

Yeah, you misunderstood.

What I'm saying is that:

Your point was that thinking, for the most part, is subconsciously influenced by this and that.

What I'm saying is that:

The concept of thought was reality before the concept of influence through another opinion, etc, or, in other words, "this and that". Acknowledging this, it would be only fair to say that yes, some have their thinking guided, for a small part, by others, BUT some [the group that you decided to exclude from your logic] are the complete opposite.

In other words, nothing to influence them. Which argues against, "As far as I am concerned, thinking also involves beliefs and opinions, which are influenceable. In many societies, children are told what is right and wrong. In many cases, this trend also applies to various ethical issues. For this reason, I'd propose that we do have the capability to think freely (through reason), though aspects of our thinking may be less liberated than we're aware."

 

[TobyL65]

Arya you say it yourself when you say that children are told what is right and wrong. That is not giving them freedom, we are imposing what we believe to be right or wrong which is highly subjective to the individual. This is our thoughts projected through them, not theirs?

 

[ilovetim]

You Said It Were Free To Think Its Your Fault If You Allow Other Opions To Mix With Yours

 

[TobyL65]

Is there such a thing as original thought?

 

[EXCODUS prime]

you are free to form concepts, concepts may be influenced in some way but you still form them and then with those concepts form judgements, and then arguments.

yes you are free to think

 

[AmF]

I was thinking about this yesterday so I thought I'd share it with you guys and see your thoughts too.

My question: Are we free to think?

It may seem obvious at first because you will say you have the freedom of thought because you can think about whatever you want - your mind is private.

But look at it from a different angle; for example the news. They represent stories however they want, you are constantly influenced by their representations of things thus making you have similar views to them. Yes you can physically think any thought you want but the thoughts that you think of are influenced from other people or institutions so are they really yours?

We have the freedom to think anything we want, because no one can read our thought's. Even if "mind readers" did exist, no one would be crazy enough to believe them anyways.