Freedom and Neurobiology by John Searle

[Philosophy Now]

Richard Corrigan freely ponders John Searle’s thoughts on free will.

http://philosophynow.org/issues/66/Free ... ohn_Searle

[ntadepalli]

.
I have these views on free will.
Our normal ideas of causal processes are
1. When there is a single cause ,the causal process is straight forward to its effect
2. When there are multiple causes ,all causes participate in a single causal process to produce its effect.
But in the brain,I understand,each cause will have its own process and multiple causes indicate parallel processes.
The speediest process will produce the winner which is the decision.
Further the process speed is under the control of the nature of the agent ( the nature embedded in the neurons and
the nature of the hard-wiring of neurons )through his likes and dislikes ( neurobiology has physical explanation
for likes&dislikes ).
This reasoning makes the decision,fully determined.
Now if we assume that the agent has control over his likes and dislikes based on the foreseen consequences of his decision and action then a new decision may arise.This scenario makes the agent a free agent.
In conclusion ,to be free is to have ability to control own nature and abilities to assess the consequences of actions.
Here we may understand agent as the self-regulating feature of the brain,regulating his natural
likes and dislikes.The brain has self-regulating feature.
The brain is a free agent.

[chaz wyman]

.
I have these views on free will.
Our normal ideas of causal processes are
1. When there is a single cause ,the causal process is straight forward to its effect
2. When there are multiple causes ,all causes participate in a single causal process to produce its effect.
But in the brain,I understand,each cause will have its own process and multiple causes indicate parallel processes.
The speediest process will produce the winner which is the decision.
Further the process speed is under the control of the nature of the agent ( the nature embedded in the neurons and
the nature of the hard-wiring of neurons )through his likes and dislikes ( neurobiology has physical explanation
for likes&dislikes ).
This reasoning makes the decision,fully determined.
Now if we assume that the agent has control over his likes and dislikes based on the foreseen consequences of his decision and action then a new decision may arise.This scenario makes the agent a free agent.

We might seem to be able to command our rationality, but we do not command our desire. We can do as we will, but we cannot will as we will. Thus choice is the result of the will, bound by our determination. But to call that 'free' would mean we could act in spite of ourselves which not not only be impossible , but undesirable.

In conclusion ,to be free is to have ability to control own nature and abilities to assess the consequences of actions.
Here we may understand agent as the self-regulating feature of the brain,regulating his natural
likes and dislikes.The brain has self-regulating feature.
The brain is a free agent.

[The Voice of Time]

We might seem to be able to command our rationality, but we do not command our desire. We can do as we will, but we cannot will as we will. Thus choice is the result of the will, bound by our determination. But to call that 'free' would mean we could act in spite of ourselves which not not only be impossible , but undesirable.

The problem about this statement is that we do not always know what we will, and thereby it appears "free", unbound by any rule we can recognize, also this empirically implies we cannot confirm determinism, only state it as a belief or logical result of: "things happening must be determined to happen that way or else it won't happen that way, so when it happens it happens determined", but without our capability to state "by what" does it happen, it remains an unused formula of thought, a cause of itself, like "x = x".

[ntadepalli]

chaz wyman
--------------------


I am highlighting that the self-regulating feature (SRF ) of brain gives an opportunity to the rational individual to alter his nature at each instance of exposure.
The choice coming through SRF no doubt is determined; but if it prevails over other choices then it becomes a free choice.
SRF becomes a free agent,as the original nature of the individual has changed.