extential angst/free will

de-vin · Newbie User Joined: Nov 01, 2007 Posts: 80

I have OCD and for a while now i've been obsessed with thinking about human existance and whether or not we have free will...I've read lots of philosophy, and it discusses human free will, whether or not we are just a thought...this stuff bothers me and it makes me look at my life so introspectivly...if we have no free will, why live? Is anyone else having a similar problem? Shocked

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-Devin-

Thelema · Expert User Joined: Jul 22, 2006 Posts: 777 Location: USA

Love is the law, love under will.

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Fear not at all; fear neither men nor Fates, nor gods, nor anything

be thou therefore without fear for in the heart of the coward virtue abideth not.

applesewer · Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:11 am Post subject:

hey de-vin

yea I love philosphy and theology. I'm always thinking about stuff like this.

First thing I'd say though is that the question of free will is such a massive question in life that many great thinkers throughout the centruies have tried to figure it out and it still baffles people today. I think there are some mysteries in life that relate to all of us and yet none of us really know for sure what the answers are...like death for example....we all die....yet none of us know for SURE what will happen...it's all theories and hopes in varying confidences.

Secondly I think it's a good thing that you're searching these kinds of questions. You're obviously interested in the truth about life...so all I'd say is don't get too disheartened...the deeper you go, the more complex the answers are going to be...so stick with it.

But in answer to the free will question...my immediate thoughts are that, yes we do have free will. I believe this because I can exercise it right now. if I chose to, I could skip lunch today. I wouldn't like it...and my stomach would urge me to change my mind...but if I made it to dinner, I could look back and say, that was MY choice to skip lunch.

Now there is an arguement that says that everything influences our thoughts in some way, i.e. if you hadn't bought up the topic of free will would I have skipped lunch today to prove I have free will....etc....and why out of all free will exercises did I choose to skip lunch....maybe cause fasting and food has been on my mind recently?....but, personally, the way I deal with that is to just...well....not think about it too much....which I know isn't the best answer...but I just don't allow myself to stop believing that I have free will and I make choices and I'm the one to blame or get credit for those choices. I find that thinking like that allows me to feel much more powerful and in control of my life. It does also mean I have to take responsibility when I make bad choices, but thats what lifes about I think....I feel more alive, when I believe in free will.

doogiebklyn · Newbie User Joined: Nov 22, 2007 Posts: 21

aquaman · Newbie User Joined: Jan 16, 2008 Posts: 1

yes I have been having some of the same thoughts, very annoying

http://www.socialphobiaworld.com/postt15697.html

rado31 · Expert User Joined: Sep 15, 2006 Posts: 654

I used to live in society where i did feel almost completely free. But maybe i feel like that because i was kid/teenager/early adolescent in those times. I dont know, there was about few billions of that was feeling that way.

GettingThere · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:21 am Post subject:

I believe that it is relevant to this topic to discuss the existence of good and evil. I cannot see how the two could co-exist if it were not for the certainty of the power of freewill in operation.
Everyone would have the exact same nature if we did not possess freewill and hence the ability to choose our paths, i.e the development of our natures (egos if you like).

raincloud · Newbie User Joined: Feb 04, 2008 Posts: 3

I think about the same things!! It can be very depressing. Basically, I think many of peoples actions are almost preprogrammed, but we have the ability to make our own decisions and actions. It's much harder to to go against the flow, but it is possible.