shroo oo oo oom mmmm ssss zzzzz

 

Since I was a kid I have wondered if I was using my brain or if my brain is using me. People who have experienced brain damage often lose some ability they had before . I would guess that the brain is using me though I tell myself otherwise.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...oise-in-the-brain-study-suggests-9553678.html

The concept of free will could be little more than the result of background noise in the brain, according to a recent study.

It has previously been suggested that our perceived ability to make autonomous choices is an illusion – and now scientists from the Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis, have found that free will may actually be the result of electrical activity in the brain

The background noise in my brain is telling me to invest the life savings on the roulette wheel. I must obey, the fact that I could lose everything is an illusion of reality.

 

'Shrooms seem to be popular at the moment.

 

'Shrooms seem to be popular at the moment.

Only good Bourbon here. The Shrooms are on the steaks.

 

There are many illusions that we live with:
The illusion of free will
The illusion of failure
The illusion of success
The illusion of safety
......The only evidence of free will I have is..... I refuse to give up, I will not go gently into that good night. I shall not back down from a challenge against good character. Quote," Don't let the bastards wear you down."

Mark

 

But if you roll a dice to make a decision...

Did you have "free will"? Or did the dice have "free will"?

 

Like some people they have less 'free will' when they are loaded.

 

This thread is like an open licence to talk crap, huh?

Well I guess we're all exercising our free will...

 

This thread is like an open licence to talk crap, huh?

Well I guess we're all exercising our free will...

This thread of 'believing' IMO has run its course several times with all sides giving good answers so its sail is flapping in the wind now.

 

"How many threads must a man walk down...
...
The answer my friend, is flapping in the wind, the answer is flapping in the wind".

 

This world is based on duality; good/evil, right/wrong, on/off, light/dark, love/hate......free will/not free will. These are constructs meant to test us, to cure us, for us to test, for us to cure.

The Dalai Lama said, "My religion is kindness."

 

Gotta love the 'philosophy' type threads.

Interesting observation of them is their page count. 20 so far. Compare this to the 'proper' threads, where single question threads seldom go past a page.

Proof that we all have a lot to say about the undefinable? Perhaps we should focus ourselves on the definable.



Sparky

 

Perhaps we should focus ourselves on the definable. Sparky

Is anything we do truly "definable". The laws of physics appear set but our interpretation of them changes with each breath we take.

 

Of course there are things which are set and definable.

 

Of course there are things which are set and definable.

Death and taxes are a sure thing, everything else is a probability.

 

methinks there is a lot of hyperbole about this subject, Mr. Harris and the other 4 horsemen included. I believe there is not enough evidence or firm data to dispense with the idea so categorically as some do. There is a thing called an epiphenomenon that to me has the closest approximation or description to what free will may be. It may not be metaphysical but it is beyond our current science, I believe. As with life itself being an epiphenomenon on certain types and arrangements of matter, I think some aspect of our consciousness and will could be this type of phenomena, hitchhiking on the functional physical aspect of the brain. That's my story and (for the mean time) I'm sticking to it.

 

Death and taxes are a sure thing, everything else is a probability.

Taxes are ENTIRELY optional, just ask any homeless person.

And as for death, it's only a sure thing as an eventuality. In the meantime there are options regarding death too.

 

Not sure if it's been mentioned in this long thread (I'm exercising my free will to not read all of it!), but there was a good philosophical discussion of "free will" on a recent episode of NPR's "On Being". Anyone truly interested in the topic ought to listen.

 

Personally I believe in free will, and others who don't are free not to!