Free Will vs. Predeterminism

[Haltickling]

Ah, now I'm beginning to understand what you mean, maverick. I still don't agree with your theory of determinism, but it comes down to a matter of personal belief. None of us will be able to prove one theory or the other anyway.

Just one more remark: matter and energy are the same thing in two different forms of existence (e=mc^2). So the Big Bang was all matter AND energy simultaneously. Scientists even think that all started out with pure energy, and that the first matter particles developed from this energy an infintely small timespan AFTER the Big Bang.

Thanks for the interesting discussion!

 

[THE THREAD]

Thank you very much for all of your input. THE THREAD has learned much about the world from this discussion.

I think with chaos theory the problem arises due to the equations used to describe a chaotic system. For any reliable prediction one would have to know the parameters to such an incredible degree of accuracy that I think the Heisenberg Uncertainity Princible comes into play and makes sure that does not happen. Thus one must sacrifice some information of a system in order to know something else about it. This is one reason why I have decided not to alter the current universe.

 

[maverick83]

Yes, I am familiar with the E=mc^2 equation, but something causes me to believe that an amount of energy, even if it is matter in a different form, was still seperate from the original mass of matter to which the big bang theory refers: An object at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted upon by a force. I think that was one of Newton's laws, someone correct me if I'm wrong. The matter would not be at rest, and then suddenly explode. Something had to agitate it. But please, let's not get into it right now.

As for my opinion on free will and predeterminism, for any who still aren't clear on what I'm saying, I think I've come up with a way to explain it.

"Does predeterminism exist?", to me, is similar ro the question mentioned earlier by Ticklish9's: "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? (i.e. does the sound exist)?" And my answer to both is exactly the same: Yes, it does exist, but it exists in such futility that it can just as well be neglected. I agree with Hal entirely, that it is a matter of personal belief. In response to your post, Hal, you are welcome, and I thank you, as well.

 

[BigJim]

Human life is ruled by both. Fait will only carry you so far, free will will only carry you so far. Together our lives have become the many pathed journeys they are.

I was gonna say something very long winded, but you summed it up much better Ice.😉