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"Free will" or just 'will' ?

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4 answers
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The term "free will" can imply that one's will is without causes. But whenever we make a decision, it always has causes. ex: If you have just enough money to buy either an apple or a chocolate for a snack, what makes you choose one over the other? Is it a spontaneous decision without any causes? No! If you pick the chocolate, it could be due to the craving of the taste of chocolate at that time. Why do you crave for it? Because the taste of chocolate had made an impression on you which says that it is enjoyable. Would you have chosen the chocolate, if it had an unpleasant taste? So your willingness to pick the chocolate is not really free. Because the taste played a big role in your decision. On the other hand, if you are willing to pick the apple, is that willingness free? No! Again, it could be because of the of the taste. Or because eating the apple would be healthier. If the apple wasn't a healthy food, would you have picked it? So your willingness to pick the apple is dependant on the condition of the food. Even if you pick any one of them just because you are hungry, is that decision free? No! Because the decision is cause by hunger and hunger is cause by other causes. So the question is: is free will possible in a practical world or is it just 'will' which isn't free?
Asked by Sankha Kulathantille (25774 rep)
Nov 20, 2014, 03:42 PM
Last activity: Nov 21, 2014, 10:39 PM