Free Will

[Brandon]

Free Will? Absolutely. No question.

I think too many proponents of determinism have blurred the line between actual determinism and influenced decision-making. An example:

A mugger pulls a gun on you and orders you to give him all your money. If you do, the determinist will claim that the decision was entirely out of your hands: you were constained by force. However, could one not also argue that you chose to give the mugger your money because you chose to protect your own life? The other option, though statistically unlikely, was just as real. You could have, in theory, chosen to endanger your life by refusing to give up the money. Being able to predict what someone will do is not the same as negating their freedom to choose a course of action. To me, it smacks of arrogance and a scientist's will to systematize and "control" his or her world.

This is not to say man isn't influenced by his instincts, passions, or past experiences. To assume that he isn't would be naive. However, determinism isn't about influence, it's about absolute cause and effect--it's fatalistic. Being influenced by one's instincts and being captive to them are two entirely different things.