The Philosophy Discussion Forum

SpheresOfBalance wrote:Compatibilism is the truth, as determinism and physics are bound. . .

As physics is a science, and thus makes no truth claims, your argument fails.

2) if determinism is true, then at time zero there is a fact about which option I will enact at time three Not unless all the causative factors are know. Determinism is a metaphysical thesis, so, facts about the future exist, in a determined world, whether they are known or not. I'm not going to ad...

I've been thinking about the free will problem for some time and I'd want to ask you something: do you think it is possible to prove that determinism is false ? Sure: 1) at time zero I am undecided about which of two options to enact at time three 2) if determinism is true, then at time zero there ...

Arising_uk wrote:

ughaibu wrote:Well, you were mistaken, a fact that was made available to you by the PhilPapers survey.

My apologies I can't find the link? Could you point it out to me please.

http://philpapers.org/surveys/results.pl

Arising_uk wrote:I thought that philosophers, unless religious or mystical, agree that we are completely determined by physical forces. Hence there is no 'free-will', just Will as Schopenhaur pointed out.

Well, you were mistaken, a fact that was made available to you by the PhilPapers survey.

There is, in fact a lot of doubt, by many people. There's very little doubt, amongst philosophers. If there is a large number of significant doubters, who are they? http://philosophynow.org/podcasts/Free_Will_and_the_Brain On that link there is one, seriously confused, guy denying the existence of ...

I believe that the free will issue is kind of BS. Of course we have free will, there is no doubt. I think a lot of people would disagree with you here. There is, in fact a lot of doubt, by many people. There's very little doubt, amongst philosophers. If there is a large number of significant doubte...

Well, this Bishop seems to see mileage in the idea. Christianity, according to the New Testament, was a doomsday cult. Like any cult, the details aren't paramount, what matters is that the results meet the aim, and the aim is recruiting. Christianity doesn't need gods, a doomsday or any other trimm...

If you think there is such a thing as free will, consider this. An exact duplicate of any human being living today, but born and raised in Mongolia 10,000 years ago, would be a totally different person than today's version. Free will? You've got to be kidding. We are prisoners of our religious, cul...

JasonPalmer wrote:Do any philosophers base their writings on chaos theory. . . .

It's not clear what you're asking. Could you give an example of the kind of thing which would amount to basing one's writing on chaos theory, please.

chaz wyman wrote:Thus it stands in support of a determinist position against those who would attack it on grounds of the difficulties of prediction and the assertion of pure randomness.

Other than offering an excuse to hand-wave, how does chaos theory support realism about determinism?