Free Will

[Huey]

I find this to be a pretty interesting topic... If/How do you guys think this should influnece our social and economic policy?

[Dick Dynamite]

buzzy az bro.

[Milky Pisswit]

Great movie.

Cried when he jumped out into the sea and shit...

[Fiction & Falsehood]

i thought this was spam advertising offering a free nintendo

[PertHJ]

Have been watching a few clips on this lately

Basically the general gist is that

- Our conscious mind is not really in charge of any of the decisions we make, they come from our unconscious - we are no more in control of our unconscious mind as we are any other body functions that we're not conscious of (heart/liver/kidneys etc etc).

- Our unconscious is physically shaped by the genes and the environments that we live in - every decision/action our unconscious makes is a product of the physical brain. Our unconscious mind is as "unfree" as our conscious mind as it is simply a product of a very long chain of events that has influenced the structure/function of the brain.

- The feeling of free will when making decision, eg should I have pizza or pasta, is an elusion created by the brain with fairly obvious evolutionary benefits. Laboratory studies have shown that when we become aware of what decision we are going to make, the brain has already made the decision some time before your conscious mind is aware of the decision.

- Arguments that this undermines morality/justice system are unfounded - someone who commits a crime is still responsible, albeit their unconscious mind. However it does put all the emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment as what's the point in punishing the conscious mind for something it ultimately wasn't in charge of. Also it doesn't mean there's no point doing *anything* as this is still a decision and your actions in the world still have affects on others.

Thoughts?

[Drax]

buzzy az bro.

[PertHJ]

I think at some point in the future this could be an accepted part of being a human/laws society adapt accordingly. The next step from atheism. Either that or biotechnology somehow enables us to become "fully conscious".

[Drax]

[PertHJ]

Are you just dismissing the idea because you don't get it?

[Dixon Cider A.C.]

Why would you assume that just because he doesn't agree he doesn't understand?

[PertHJ]

Well he hasn't offered any counter argument other than suggesting it's "buzzy", and It's not like the people pushing this idea are woo woo avocado wolf types.

Anyway not that I'm 100% convinced, but the fact we are just a product of biology (ie not gods creation) it isn't that surprising that we could just be "wet robots" like any other life form.

[Drax]

Just havin a larf m8. Didin't watch any of those vids but I might do next time I've got YouTube block.

[Dixon Cider A.C.]

Just havin a larf m8. Didin't watch any of those vids but I might do next time I've got YouTube block.

Did you have a stroke while you were typing this shit

[Drax]

Yes.

[Kerry]

Fuck is this a Drax Witch Jangles original?

[9seconds]

thats a classic spots2012

[Drax]

Quintessential Spots.