Religion

Boojatta

(12,231 posts)

9. Two possibilities are that ...

Thu Dec 15, 2011, 10:49 PM

Dec 2011

1. The laws of nature disallow some options, but nevertheless permit many options

2. The laws of nature disallow all but one option.

Do actual events proceed along some branching tree of possibilities, or is there merely a single line of events that isn't part of any tree?

Note that I used the words "laws of nature." Science is a human effort to discover and formulate the laws of nature. I'm not referring to that work in progress, but to the actual laws that govern the universe.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

50 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Is Free Will an Illusion? [View all] FarCenter Dec 2011 OP

No. -- I am programmed to say that. immoderate Dec 2011 #1

Probably. n/t laconicsax Dec 2011 #2

A couple of thoughts. Jim__ Dec 2011 #3

Wow. This is gonna make a hit at the Annual Solipsism Tournament! n/t TygrBright Dec 2011 #4

I really wanted to say no... Fumesucker Dec 2011 #5

Within the context of some religions for whom it is a key doctrinal element...yup. iris27 Dec 2011 #6

Free from what? ChadwickHenryWard Dec 2011 #7

Two possibilities are that ... Boojatta Dec 2011 #9

The alternative is not predestination, but rather that the unconscious makes most of the decisions FarCenter Dec 2011 #24

If one has no choices, and if (in particular) one has no choice about the positions struggle4progress Dec 2011 #8

I watched a show on Science channel a week or so ago EvolveOrConvolve Dec 2011 #10

Well all of that is based on one single beliefe zeemike Dec 2011 #11

It may also be that time is a giant space octopus, or an odorless scent. laconicsax Dec 2011 #12

Can't prrove a negative... zeemike Dec 2011 #18

How do they explain devices that measure time? ZombieHorde Dec 2011 #14

Obviously, clocks aren't real. n/t laconicsax Dec 2011 #15

No clocks are real zeemike Dec 2011 #20

How do you know what you claim to know? laconicsax Dec 2011 #29

He may be using one of the "other ways of knowing," cleanhippie Dec 2011 #41

They don't zeemike Dec 2011 #17

The Platonic forms don't exist, sorry. n/t laconicsax Dec 2011 #21

And you know this how? zeemike Dec 2011 #23

I could ask you the exact same question. laconicsax Dec 2011 #28

I am not claiming to know anything zeemike Dec 2011 #39

Sure you are. You have made several bold proclamations. cleanhippie Dec 2011 #42

Cave-mechanics tama Dec 2011 #27

Our mind is the source of all perception. zeemike Dec 2011 #40

Name it tama Dec 2011 #44

Are you saying everything happens at once? nt ZombieHorde Dec 2011 #22

I am not saying anything ...I am saying that illusion is possable in the mind zeemike Dec 2011 #25

What time is real, what illusion? tama Dec 2011 #19

Perhaps it is all illusion zeemike Dec 2011 #26

Time doesn't exist? ChadwickHenryWard Dec 2011 #31

Time tama Dec 2011 #32

Unfortunatly this brings up another mind boggler zeemike Dec 2011 #38

No trouble tama Dec 2011 #45

I know it chalanges your mind zeemike Dec 2011 #37

How can you call something an "illusion" ChadwickHenryWard Dec 2011 #46

Well I probably should not have brought this up here zeemike Dec 2011 #47

There was a study that suggested people have "free won't." ZombieHorde Dec 2011 #13

I heard of the "Free Won't" hypothesis a while ago. It's very interesting. Odin2005 Dec 2011 #16

Freedom not to choose?! nt tama Dec 2011 #33

I don't believe in free will, uriel1972 Dec 2011 #30

What's really going to bake your noodle later is darkstar3 Dec 2011 #34

How will I choose to respond? uriel1972 Dec 2011 #35

I think my point was about "illusion" darkstar3 Dec 2011 #36

Massimo Pigliucci's free will roundtable. Jim__ Dec 2011 #43

This is going to get complicated. so bear with me. westerebus Dec 2011 #48

The "sacrifice of his only son" would be inconsequential to god FarCenter Dec 2011 #49

But not to man. westerebus Dec 2011 #50