Are Our Decisions Really Ours?
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2025 4:17 am
Hi everyone,
I’m Skyler, 23, and new here on the Philosophy Now forum. I’ve always been fascinated by the question of free will versus determinism.
On one hand, it feels like I am making choices every day – from small things like what to eat, to bigger decisions about my studies and relationships. On the other hand, when I think deeper, I wonder: are these choices really free? Or are they the inevitable results of my upbringing, biology, and circumstances, with my sense of "choosing" just an illusion?
Personally, I lean toward the idea that while many factors shape us, there is still some genuine freedom in how we respond. Otherwise, it feels like responsibility, morality, and even creativity would lose their meaning.
I’d like to ask: do you think we truly have free will, or are our choices fully determined? And if you think like me, that there’s at least some space for real freedom, how do you justify it?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Skyler
I’m Skyler, 23, and new here on the Philosophy Now forum. I’ve always been fascinated by the question of free will versus determinism.
On one hand, it feels like I am making choices every day – from small things like what to eat, to bigger decisions about my studies and relationships. On the other hand, when I think deeper, I wonder: are these choices really free? Or are they the inevitable results of my upbringing, biology, and circumstances, with my sense of "choosing" just an illusion?
Personally, I lean toward the idea that while many factors shape us, there is still some genuine freedom in how we respond. Otherwise, it feels like responsibility, morality, and even creativity would lose their meaning.
I’d like to ask: do you think we truly have free will, or are our choices fully determined? And if you think like me, that there’s at least some space for real freedom, how do you justify it?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Skyler