Do People Have Free Will?
By MRconrad01
@MRconrad01 (148)
United States
November 9, 2011 9:47pm CST
I think that people either have free will or they have the illusion of free will. The illusion of free will is actually just free will (I'll illustrate this below). I don't think that anything is predestined or decided for us by a supernatural force ahead of time. If I wanted to, I could go out and kill a person right now. I am choosing to type this. There is no outside force acting in on me, trying to get me to act a certain way or do a certain thing. It's all of my own accord. My way of illustrating this is through a very simple scenario:
A man walks into a breakfast inn and wants something to eat. He looks at the menu and says, "I'll have some waffles." The owner says, "We only have biscuits and eggs." The man, while he wants his waffles, reluctantly orders biscuits and eggs.
A second man walks into the inn. "I'm starving. I have eaten for days. If I don't get something to eat right now, I'm gonna pass out. I think I'll have some waffles." Now, the first man knows that the second man isn't going to get waffles and that he's going to order biscuits and eggs because he said he was starving, but that doesn't impact the second man's judgment. He can still attempt to order waffles. There's no outside force weighing in on him.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@katie0 (5203)
• Japan
11 Nov 11
I like watching people's reaction as much as my own and I'm sure there is free will. Even if we didn't mean everything we do and receive back is our fault, not in a bad way we could look at this in a powerful way like we have 100% control of our lives.
I know how many great people, those who are selfless, who help others receive back what they gave, even if it takes years even decade to receive back. These people are never alone in rough times because the universe, or better yet, God pay them back.
Now we have the free will to do whatever we want, it's just that God already created an universe that gives us back exactly the same energy we had putted out there so it's not like He is punishing us but it will happpen anyway because it's automatically. So for the good or the bad, it was always our choice.
We can never say "He manipulated me, she adviced me" because we can't blame others. Even if others came between our bussiness we had the choice of the last decision to do, say or go somewhere or not and we decided to do it. When we can't understand that we will blame someone else while the truth is it was our choice all along, even if we were kids.
Happy MyLotting!!!
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
10 Nov 11
I'd like to think that people do in fact have free will. To do what they please, to say what they want, to take the actions that will shape their own life. There is nothing that indicates that we shouldn't. Granted, I think that there is some higher power that is going to make sure we don't do anything too stupid. But if we didn't have free will, there wouldn't be as many stupid people doing as many stupid things in life. Or whatever higher power that you may believe in is the world's biggest troll and just enjoys seeing us crash and burn.
I think that it is down to our choices that shape our life. Or our utterly demise depending on whatever situation. I mean, if we didn't have any free will, then would there be any point in being alive? Why would we be alive? Although, perhaps life is one big game of the Sims played by some utterly higher power to say the very least. Played by some supreme being. And maybe the free will isn't turned on. Or maybe it is. Who really knows. The world is insane enough regardless. Of course there are going to be many things that we see and perhaps don't see that could color our choices.
@befrindwithme26 (5805)
• Philippines
10 Nov 11
Yes, we all have free will,freedom,and to know what is the right,and wrong for us..
Every one is need to know about everything,and you have the right to do your own,and you know that .
@enelym001 (8322)
• Philippines
10 Nov 11
Indeed we all have free will. It always depends on us how we act on it. Things are destined to happen but it is our choice whether to reached that destination or not. We just sometimes makes mistakes in choosing the road to success, more likely we choose the long and winding rough road.
@Jhovarie (1168)
• Philippines
10 Nov 11
Yes People have a Free Will on earth because God created as to choose if we want to do good or bad. so it is a the big evidence that people have a free will its because not all people are good and not all people are bad because they have their free will.
@snowhybiscuis (1882)
• Philippines
10 Nov 11
Everyone has a free will. God gave us a chance to decide what course we are going to take. He has also given us conscience to guide us in our decisions. Now, it is up to human beings whether to take the righteous course or the unrighteous course. God may give us time to learn from our mistakes as well. But with regards to our own life, it is God who holds it. You may ask why some bad people live longer. I don't actually fully understand why. But what I know, He is a good God and that he gives chances for people to change. He may also use the wrong-willed people to justify the goodness of righteous one.
All has meanings and all are interconnected. Just my belief. 
@ramonah (211)
• Romania
10 Nov 11
I think free will exists and leads us on our choices but it is guided by something, and that is US, each and every one. So it's like a free will inside a free will, inside a free will and so on.. Our choices make us who we are so, like your first example, you could go and kill a man but there's a big chance you won't because the choices you've made so far in your life built a set of principles that make you exclude that choice even if you don't realise it. On the other hand there can be a limit, a moment when those principles may collapse and you choose to kill someone if you have a good enough reason for it in your mind. The turn point is when you let, willingly or not, others around you build those principles for you. That's when you let your free will be their free will and you let yourself be guided by society, it's not a bad thing really but it's what makes us different and it's what builds leaders and rebels. Free will is a very strong tool but each of us should reall know how to use it better.
@janevi (888)
• Philippines
10 Nov 11
Free will is what has been endowed to us. To act according to what is accepted or to go against, is our tree will to do it. Nobody instructs us what to do. There are only some set of rules to follow. The decision to follow or not is our own free act.
Doing right or wrong is our own decision. But knowing that it is wrong, it is still apt to us if we are going to do it or not. I think free will should also be coupled with responsibility so that there can be some order within the person and that can affect the people around. Free will can also enable a person to undergo the process so maturity. Tripping over and rising from the fall, could make him realize that, every action has a corresponding consequence that he can control if he is careful enough.
