Isn't "free will" a sad excuse for believing our lifes aren't written books?

Question

I always hear how little control we actually have over our lives. Then people make such a big deal out of free will! Which is it people I am thinking so much about it, it gets in the way from me progressing. I am still reading cat in the hat books. And learning 2+2 it feels like and I am a Senior in High School. :(

Answer 1

The debate over which is it, free will or determination is one of the major themes of philosophy and theology.

I don't prefer the term "free will" and think that "personal freedom of choice" is better.  This we seem to have in a degree but certainly not totally.  Our lives very well may be written in books but, again, there seems to be some flexibility, some range of choice.  On the other hand, everything could be predetermined.  I personally do not feel everything is predetermined down to the tiny details.  But the major moves and events are, I think. NO ONE really knows the answer to this intellectual conflict, except God.

Also, I don't think it is productive for you to worry about this--great philosophers and theologians down through the centuries haven't solved such questions.  It really is unlikely you will.

And, I seriously doubt that  thinking about free will is the reason you are still reading "Cat in the Hat," if you really are!

Answer 2

I'll take a stab at it.  Here's a hypothetical situation: you're at Baskin Robin's, you already know they have 31 flavors of ice cream, so assume you didn't have a preference, you would have free will to choose which of the 31 you would want to get.  But suppose, that all your life, you've LOVED Vanilla.  So even though Baskin Robin's has 31 flavors, it's an illusion of free will because no matter how many flavors there are you're always going to choose Vanilla.  And then it becomes pre-determinism.  BUT, the very first time you've ever had ice cream, back when you didn't know you loved Vanilla, that FIRST choice of flavors can be considered free will since you didn't have any experience nor preference with what you were about to choose.  so all in all, don't listen to people that choose extremes like completely pre-determinism or completely free will, it's a mix of both.  

Answer 3

Free will is your emotional state of accepting things that come by naturally and you do make decisions based on your circumstances and facts that appear in your life.

Will is free for you to decide and that is free but you make them based on your own criteria like whether you want to get a good job, you go to college / university and secure a good degree and you then move on to network so that you get recommendations and you connect with people in society that you will receive good results.

Books cannot show you life..You just go on day by day looking at your priorities and achieve them bit by bit.  If you are a CHristian, or at least you once are, then consider reading the Bible - PSALM 23 - where it is stated that you are like sheep and JESUS is a shepherd of your life and let Him save you.

Christianity as most church preaches go to the dogs because they tell you about 10 commandments and the crab - true Christianity tells you about what JESUS does for you and what you can do to connect to JESUS and talk to Him and He helps you with your life, with your college and with your career and with your girlfriends...Believe in Him and He will set you free and you get free will.  SO I guess the BIBLE is the ONLY BOOK that writes your life...Amen.

Answer 4

You do have control in your life, its called making choices and being accountable for those choices.

Answer 5

From a religious point of view, yes god gave you free will. He already knows what choices you will make, but will not interfere with them.

From a nonreligious point of, yea you have free will. You are accountable to society and yourself for your actions, but no other worldly/divine influence.

From my point of view free will is just another word for choice. You make the choices and live with the consequences-good or bad.