Freedom is an illusion.
Our neural pathways merely react to stimulus.
We are capable of imagining alternative choices, but the set of our neurons determines the choice we make.
If it were possible to reproduce all the conditions and variables of a situation….we would make the same choice every time because the neural reactions would be the same.
We imagine the freedom of choice…..but at any given time we are literally programmed to be capable of only one option.
No choice.
Never heard of Libet.
Just a little thought exercise.
If everything that happens in your brain is a chemical reaction that occurs withing a structure, then the logical extension of that is that given the same structure and the same chemicals and the same stimulus….you’ll get the same reaction.
Of course because of the complexity of all the components involved it would be an impossible experiment to replicate.
But thanks for your encouragement.
Dickhead.
All these thumbs down…?
Look, if you believe in the laws of nature…physics, chemistry, electricity…..then you have to believe that what goes on in our brains is just that.
Consciousness is a chemical/electrical reaction (a very complicated reaction) that goes on within the structure of our brain.
If that’s the case, then the laws of nature dictate that with any reaction (any experiment) you should be able to exactly duplicate it….if you could accurately reproduce the initial conditions of the experiment.
In other words….if you could set your brain in exactly the same state and put it into an environment of exactly the same state….you will get exactly the same experimental result every time.
Now, of course this is impossible, given the complexity of systems involved.
The main idea is though that at any given time, with any given stimulus…..its the chemical reactions in your brain that constitute your “choice”…and given that the chemical reactions in your brain strictly follow the laws of nature….you really haven’t made a choice….you’ve just followed the chemical/electrical reactions to their inevitable conclusions.
I know…hard to believe.
Please, if you can think of some other mechanism that I’m missing (beyond a magical soul or “a wizard did it”), just what else is decision making….at the molecular level….?
Dude, there is no free will, it’s the fucking cats man, it’s in the cat shit, there’s no free will, I’m telling you man there’s fuckin mind controlling parasites in the cat shit, stay away from cats, stay away from Ulthar!
This has been a public announcement on behalf of Toxoplasma awareness.
Misquote I believe;
“You are free to choose, but you are not free to alter the consequences of your decisions.” – Ezra Taft Benson
And that’s not a paradox, just a clear indication that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Yup, I don’t see any paradox, even in the misquote.
Freedom is an illusion.
Our neural pathways merely react to stimulus.
We are capable of imagining alternative choices, but the set of our neurons determines the choice we make.
If it were possible to reproduce all the conditions and variables of a situation….we would make the same choice every time because the neural reactions would be the same.
We imagine the freedom of choice…..but at any given time we are literally programmed to be capable of only one option.
No choice.
Sounds like you may have read Benjamin Libet but not actually understood any of it, anyway his research is a bit out of date now.
I would suggest its best to keep quiet and let people think you are a moron rather than “speak” and remove all doubt.
Never heard of Libet.
Just a little thought exercise.
If everything that happens in your brain is a chemical reaction that occurs withing a structure, then the logical extension of that is that given the same structure and the same chemicals and the same stimulus….you’ll get the same reaction.
Of course because of the complexity of all the components involved it would be an impossible experiment to replicate.
But thanks for your encouragement.
Dickhead.
Whoaaaa there sourgropes. You were given some good advice.
“Freedom is an illusion” is the kind of stoner philosophy that should only be spoken by Jeff Spicoli.
All these thumbs down…?
Look, if you believe in the laws of nature…physics, chemistry, electricity…..then you have to believe that what goes on in our brains is just that.
Consciousness is a chemical/electrical reaction (a very complicated reaction) that goes on within the structure of our brain.
If that’s the case, then the laws of nature dictate that with any reaction (any experiment) you should be able to exactly duplicate it….if you could accurately reproduce the initial conditions of the experiment.
In other words….if you could set your brain in exactly the same state and put it into an environment of exactly the same state….you will get exactly the same experimental result every time.
Now, of course this is impossible, given the complexity of systems involved.
The main idea is though that at any given time, with any given stimulus…..its the chemical reactions in your brain that constitute your “choice”…and given that the chemical reactions in your brain strictly follow the laws of nature….you really haven’t made a choice….you’ve just followed the chemical/electrical reactions to their inevitable conclusions.
I know…hard to believe.
Please, if you can think of some other mechanism that I’m missing (beyond a magical soul or “a wizard did it”), just what else is decision making….at the molecular level….?
sometimes I run the red light, other times I choose not to, therefore your argument is invalid
Dude, there is no free will, it’s the fucking cats man, it’s in the cat shit, there’s no free will, I’m telling you man there’s fuckin mind controlling parasites in the cat shit, stay away from cats, stay away from Ulthar!
This has been a public announcement on behalf of Toxoplasma awareness.
Dude, loving the Lovecraft reference.
… they … they made me say it!