Does Free Will Exist?

[squibber]

Author Sam Harris believes in limited free will. He said

[Bob In PA]

I think the truth for almost all issues of this sort lies somewhere between the two extremes that the human mind is able to imagine.  Bob

[LennG]

I struggle all the time.

My darling wife makes, what I consider, the best cheesecake EVER. Better than Juniors. She used to make this all the time, but now I only get one on my birthday. I am not severely overweight, but I am also not in the 'eat whatever you want' department. So she makes me this cheesecake, and my urges and desires, that I have no control over, make me want to eat it all and NOT share it with anyone.
Is this wrong, am I a creature of some law of the fittest or whatever. I always succumb to my desires and simply cannot resist.

How does that fit into your equation???   

She is now into making home made breads and those wonderful smell filters thru every part of the house. I simply cannot control all these desires to eat, eat, and eat. I need help.   

[T200]

I easily get lost in philosophical questions like this because I am open to entertain different options and viewpoints. I find it hard to disagree with legitimate points of view.

In regards to free will, I am torn between logic and religion and it's just a crazy convoluted rabbit hole in my head and I struggle to clearly convey the maze of thoughts in my head. Suffice it to say, yes, I believe we all have free will, all the while accepting that our lives are preordained.

@Len: I believe you CAN control your desires to eat. It comes down to the right incentive/motivator and/or priority. For example, if I said I'd give you $100K to share half of that cheesecake, you probably would. Likewise, if I offered you the same $100K and said DON'T eat any of it, I'm sure you would take the money.

[LennG]

I easily get lost in philosophical questions like this because I am open to entertain different options and viewpoints. I find it hard to disagree with legitimate points of view.

In regards to free will, I am torn between logic and religion and it's just a crazy convoluted rabbit hole in my head and I struggle to clearly convey the maze of thoughts in my head. Suffice it to say, yes, I believe we all have free will, all the while accepting that our lives are preordained.

@Len: I believe you CAN control your desires to eat. It comes down to the right incentive/motivator and/or priority. For example, if I said I'd give you $100K to share half of that cheesecake, you probably would. Likewise, if I offered you the same $100K and said DON'T eat any of it, I'm sure you would take the money.

When you put it like that. probably, but all things being equal, even though I know it is wrong for me, at that time, my will to resist it can't compare with my will to have some.

[GordonGekko80]

I struggle all the time.

My darling wife makes, what I consider, the best cheesecake EVER. Better than Juniors. She used to make this all the time, but now I only get one on my birthday. I am not severely overweight, but I am also not in the 'eat whatever you want' department. So she makes me this cheesecake, and my urges and desires, that I have no control over, make me want to eat it all and NOT share it with anyone.
Is this wrong, am I a creature of some law of the fittest or whatever. I always succumb to my desires and simply cannot resist.

How does that fit into your equation???   

She is now into making home made breads and those wonderful smell filters thru every part of the house. I simply cannot control all these desires to eat, eat, and eat. I need help.   

Story of my life Lenny, story of my life... 

[jimv]

Lenny, I think your desire to eat is probably mostly because of being cooped up in the house because of this damn pandemic.  You've just got nothing else to do than eat.'

As far as Free Will goes, yes we have it.  But we also have a conscience that controls the actions of our free will.  And, I believe our lives are not preordained.  The outcome of our lives is determined by how we live our lives.  And that goes back to our free will combined `with our conscience.

[Bob In PA]

She is now into making home made breads and those wonderful smell filters thru every part of the house. I simply cannot control all these desires to eat, eat, and eat. I need help.   

Lenn: Take up knitting.  Bob

[LennG]

Lenn: Take up knitting.  Bob

Last time I did that we had our third child. No thanks 

[jimmyz]

Author Sam Harris believes in limited free will. He said