See the universe as a machine. This machine activates a sequence of events - a
swinging ball knocks a lever that activates a falling weight and so on, until a
cycle is completed by a second ball striking the first.
Now, each event is caused by the one preceding it. No matter how complex we make
the machine, how many stages operating in any direction, this will always be
true. And when started with all stages at a resting state, the interaction
between them will always be the same. You can make it complex to the point where
it exhibits chaotic behaviour by factoring in variables such as how well greased
the joints are, impact from floating dust, or whatever you want, but if the
starting variables are the same the result will always be the same.
So, let us set our machine in motion, but this time imagine that all the stages
will reset themselves to their original state after activation. The machine would
now repeat itself indefinitely, every repeptition the same from the moment one of
the balls strikes the other, this is because the machine/universe is a closed
system where total energy is conserved (making various assumptions of course!)
If the universe functions like this - an alogrithm that begins with a set of
variables, and involves a set sequence of events on the newtownian level, it
follows that the entire course of history is set, and can only happen one way.
The past could not have been any different.
So is free will therefore an illusion? Simply a higher function of our brain that
considers what we might have done in the past if the variables leading up to a
decision had been different? (what if I wasn't so tired? what if i really did
want to?)
Personally I believe that our actions are a result of our feelings, and our
feelings are no less real just because they are a product of the past. The human
race is being taken on a journey, just like a transcontinental railroad - we
don't control the direction, and we don't control the speed, but we have paid our
money so we would be well advised to make the most of the ride.
swinging ball knocks a lever that activates a falling weight and so on, until a
cycle is completed by a second ball striking the first.
Now, each event is caused by the one preceding it. No matter how complex we make
the machine, how many stages operating in any direction, this will always be
true. And when started with all stages at a resting state, the interaction
between them will always be the same. You can make it complex to the point where
it exhibits chaotic behaviour by factoring in variables such as how well greased
the joints are, impact from floating dust, or whatever you want, but if the
starting variables are the same the result will always be the same.
So, let us set our machine in motion, but this time imagine that all the stages
will reset themselves to their original state after activation. The machine would
now repeat itself indefinitely, every repeptition the same from the moment one of
the balls strikes the other, this is because the machine/universe is a closed
system where total energy is conserved (making various assumptions of course!)
If the universe functions like this - an alogrithm that begins with a set of
variables, and involves a set sequence of events on the newtownian level, it
follows that the entire course of history is set, and can only happen one way.
The past could not have been any different.
So is free will therefore an illusion? Simply a higher function of our brain that
considers what we might have done in the past if the variables leading up to a
decision had been different? (what if I wasn't so tired? what if i really did
want to?)
Personally I believe that our actions are a result of our feelings, and our
feelings are no less real just because they are a product of the past. The human
race is being taken on a journey, just like a transcontinental railroad - we
don't control the direction, and we don't control the speed, but we have paid our
money so we would be well advised to make the most of the ride.