Jim

Thanks, Reg!!!

Have a great week, Reg. And Happy New Year

Have a great week!!

Unseen,

I am a brain and the rest of my body and the products of the efforts of each. Problem solved.

Davis wrote:
If everything is due to prior events, and that negates meaningful choice (meaningful free will), it negates meaningful everything (including morality, responsibility, power structures, anything controlling anything be it automated for not etc). All that is left are very bad descriptors, not meaning, nothing meaningful.

So, if I doubt…[Read more]

You keep using two different kinds of language as though “control” is meaningful if “choice” is meaningless.

If free will is an illusion, then control is an illusion (as is morality or consequence). That’s fine, I’m not saying with any certainty any of that exist. But it is ridiculous to dismiss meaningful choice, and still hold onto anything…[Read more]

TheEncogitationer wrote:
As for picking a city, you could always easily give a different answer every time you are asked or answer “none of the above.”

True, but there’s always a reason beyond your control for whatever choice you make. Such choices are made in your brain and you don’t control your brain. Your brain controls you.

jakelafort wrote:
posit…implicit…automatic…unspoken…assumed…unavoidable…but utterly consequential

“Implicit,” “implied.” Both come from the same basic meaning. Assuming something doesn’t make it true. Assumption is an act, not a conclusion.

Probably the most fundamental problem with free will is defining it, and defining it so that doesn’t giv…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
10 Tips for debating religion as an Atheist.

In Godless Mom’s 10 Tips for debating religion as an Atheist.
“2. Define Your Ground … Atheism, in its basic form, is a lack of belief in gods. It’s not a belief in ‘no gods.’ … ”

I object. I am firmly convinced there is no such thing as gods. And I will always state…[Read more]

HOLY SHIT! God made Tramp.
Unseen, where that ad air? did the Tramp campaign pay for it?

Reg and Fellow Unbelievers,

“I will choose freewill.”. Final answer.

Neither “Blame It On Midnight, Shame on the Moon” nor “I Believe I Can Fly.”. Marienmette strings not found in evidence and the song is certainly proof that affirming free will, like everything else, does not require a God.

As…[Read more]

posit…implicit…automatic…unspoken…assumed…unavoidable…but utterly consequential

jakelafort wrote:
I indicated we posit free will and that is an artificial way to think of it. It is implicit.

What do you mean “implicit.” That free will is implied somehow? That doesn’t make it exist. It doesn’t make nonsense sensible.

I heard Sam do that exercise naming three movies.

I indicated we posit free will and that is an artificial way to think of it. It is implicit.

And as i am writing i see myself doing it calling politicians who want war hawkish assholes. It is simply unavoidable unless your some kind of freaky Buddhist sitting naked and unafraid in the snow in…[Read more]

@ Reg

Yeah, we don’t know what it is but we all want it. Why? So we can engage in our of our favorite activities: praise and (more importantly) blame.

Yes, the “pick a city” is a good exercise. I am determined to have free will.

Thanks Unseen. Not a trace of a Russian accent to be detected 🙂

I will check out the article on free will. Looks interesting. And I may comment on it if so moved.

One of the best arguments against free will came from Sam Harris when he asked an audience (I paraphrase), to pick a city, any city. That done, what process did you use to arrive at that city?

So, that’s about as free a decision as one can make and…[Read more]

Reg, I think you missed a good one:

Thanks, Reg!