Defending Free Will & The Self

[Philosophy Now]

Frank S. Robinson ‘chooses’ to remind ‘us’ of problems some contemporary philosophers have with these central human concepts.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/130/Defending_Free_Will_and_The_Self

[iwiner]

This is a well written and very thoughtful article by Frank Robinson.

I suppose 'East of Eden" by Steinbeck tackles this issue as well with the discussion between Lee, Sam Hamilton and Adam about "Timshel" or "Thou Mayest."

I am a defender of Free Will as I believe we have a choice as to a pause on our judgments. I don't know if we have free will over the judgments themselves, but there is a moment of consciousness where a person can question their own assumptions.

From the moment I am born,I may be raised by my immediate social unit (family) to be prejudiced against anyone with Red Hair. I may be taught from the moment I could understand language that people with red hair are evil and are to be avoided at all costs. When I see someone with red hair, my eyes physiologically see the person, and my brain then connects that imagery to a specific emotion (all unique to each person on the planet). So in my universe, the sight of red hair triggers a reaction of fear and a desire to avoid this person. But what if I decide one day, later in life, that I am not entirely sure about that thesis of people with red hair. I decide to overcome my fears and talk to a red haired person I see one day. I conclude that perhaps my judgments about red-haired people are wrong.

The next time I see a red haired person, I believe that I will still have that initial reaction based on all the inputs of my life, but now I have the choice to act on the initial judgment or to question it.

[roydop]

Frank S. Robinson ‘chooses’ to remind ‘us’ of problems some contemporary philosophers have with these central human concepts.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/130/De ... d_The_Self

In the article he states: "Now, mind and self must be produced by, or emerge from, brain activity."

Any "self" produced by such means is not true self, but ego. True self is what reality is. Why is it so difficult to see that Self is not thought nor sensations, but that which is experiencing thoughts and sensations? Consciousness is not created, it is from which thoughts and sensations arise.

Here's an experiment. Next time you are thirsty and the thought "I'm thirsty" arises, don't act upon it. Instead just sit there and be aware of thoughts. Each time the thought "I'm thirsty" arises, don't act upon it, but rather just observe. If one puts all energy into pure observation, eventually you will witness the body get up and get a drink, without a preceding, accompanying thought. When the mind thinks "I..." and then immediately records a related action, it believes that it actually produced that action. But when there is a time delay between the thought and action, it can be seen that one is not necessarily dependent upon the other.

The self is the Absolute. It's "God". You have simply temporarily forgotten, in the same way you forget your body and 3d surroundings while watching an interesting movie. Thoughts have been introduced into consciousness to try to make this movie more interesting.

[jayjacobus]

Is there a practical aspect to the discussion? If there is, it is forced.

Get rid of the discussion and nothing will change in the behavior of people other than no more free will discussion. People will go on acting like they always acted.