Are humans truly free or are they merely products of circumstance?

For all things philosophical.

Moderators: AMod, iMod

Post Reply
Age
Posts: 27830
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:17 am

Re: Are humans truly free or are they merely products of circumstance?

Post by Age »

LessieHoeger wrote: Thu Mar 13, 2025 8:31 am Are humans truly free in their choices, or are all actions predetermined by biological, environmental, and social factors?
Human beings are absolutely, or truly, free to choose.

All actions are predetermined.

Behaviors, however, are different.

Human beings are also limited by what they can choose from.
Impenitent
Posts: 5896
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:04 pm

Re: Are humans truly free or are they merely products of circumstance?

Post by Impenitent »

free choice is not always the wise or reasoned choice

-Imp
User avatar
LuckyR
Posts: 935
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2023 11:56 pm
Location: The Great NW

Re: Are humans truly free or are they merely products of circumstance?

Post by LuckyR »

LessieHoeger wrote: Thu Mar 13, 2025 8:31 am Are humans truly free in their choices, or are all actions predetermined by biological, environmental, and social factors?
Many misunderstand the meaning of "free" in this context. Human choices are subject to INFLUENCE by various factors, some of which you mention, but such influence doesn't preclude the Freedom to make choices that (occasionally) go against this influence (thus proving the presence of Freedom).
Phil8659
Posts: 2326
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2022 11:50 am
Contact:

Re: Are humans truly free or are they merely products of circumstance?

Post by Phil8659 »

LessieHoeger wrote: Thu Mar 13, 2025 8:31 am Are humans truly free in their choices, or are all actions predetermined by biological, environmental, and social factors?
First of all, you have to define the word "human" In order to do that, one has to have learnt grammar and its relationship to the definition of human.
Now, if a mind has a well defined biologically determined job to perform, and a well defined physically determined means of doing that job. When is man free to do his own work?
Or are you using the word free, as if it means whatever you, particularly choose it to mean? Most people claim that if one has a job to do, they are not free, as if life is the life of a parasite. . .

What is it then, by definition, makes a person free? A correct education in the use of words, or a jug of whine and indiscriminate companion?
Post Reply