Free will. . . .
. . . . most human beings take for granted the belief that they have it.
It is the source of a great deal of thought, corner stone to a massive amount of belief systems, and required baggage for all forms of bigotry.
It is a subject matter that a large percentage of the population will not allow themselves to contemplate. And that alone tells me I need to spend time with it.
"The initial configuration of the universe may have been chosen by God, or it may itself have been determined by the laws of science. In either case, it would seem that everything in the universe would then be determined by evolution according to the laws of science, so it is difficult to see how we can be masters of our fate."
- Stephen Hawking
That one can learn from experience, and in that learning can understand probabilities that may arise from a given action, and in that understanding of probability, effect a change in the programming, and in that change, the events themselves may change. . . . . .yes that is all clearly true.
It just doesn't mean that "you" are ever doing, or the cause, of any of "it". And it certainly doesn't mean there is any kind of 'choice'.
In other words when it comes to the 'force' of 'will', its not about whether you can do what you choose to do. . .it is about whether you even choose your own choices, and whether the choice itself was ever optional.
Also stated, though it may 'appear' that you make a choice, the appearance itself may just be one more part of the programming.
"Everything in nature is the result of fixed laws."
- Charles Darwin
What if we call the body hardware, and we called thought-knowledge-conditioning, software-programming. The combination of the two, hardware (the body-DNA), and software (thought-conditioning) creates outputs. . .the outputs appear as "decisions-events-choices". . . . and the outputs serve as further programs for itself and others.
And in that, the output can ONLY be according to the programming (nature & nurture) . . .and in that, where is any "choice"?
And furthermore, who's choice was it?
And if it was Y's choice, or Z's choice. . .WHO made the choice that brought Y & Z to that point? And who made that choice?
"Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect as well as the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper."
- Albert Einstein
If it sounds like determinism, then you may be seeing things upside down.
What I think is being described above is actually pure freedom.
How would a true understanding of the above stated ideas really
affect what occurs?
I believe the answer to that would be TOTAL forgiveness for ones self, and all others.
But at this point it is important to note I am only guessing. On really good days I have moments which are free of any guessing. But most of the time, I am just guessing.
In otherwords, I don't think it is that we don't know.
I think it is that we forget.
"You will say that I feel free. This is an illusion, which may be compared to that of the fly in the fable, who, upon the pole of a heavy carriage, applauded himself for directing its course. Man, who thinks himself free, is a fly who imagines he has power to move the universe, while he is himself unknowingly carried along by it."
- Baron d'Hobach
I can't give what's left to make a choice a name, because at EVERY given MOMENT it IS EVERYTHING.
Any name separating IT from THAT would be dishonest.
"Everything happens through immutable laws, ...everything is necessary... There are, some persons say, some events which are necessary and others which are not. It would be very comic that one part of the world was arranged, and the other were not; that one part of what happens had to happen and that another part of what happens did not have to happen. If one looks closely at it, one sees that the doctrine contrary to that of destiny is absurd; but there are many people destined to reason badly; others not to reason at all; others to persecute those who reason."
- Voltaire
I believe that is also rational because action is event, and any-thing can create an action. Therefore, the only limitation could be infinity*
*(more on that later.)
"In the mind there is no absolute or free will; but the mind is determined to wish this or that by a cause, which has also been determined by another cause, and this last by another cause, and so on to infinity."
- Baruch Spinoza
So with that I have to ask myself why it wasn't taught before in a practical way for the masses, and then I realize it is. It is just not always expressed in such an obvious and open way. I think sometimes it is meant to sneak up on people. As every act based on anger, pride, envy, greed, and violence is done under the auspices of"free will". . .the corner stone belief is that of an-other who can make choices and in so doing hurt you, or "deserves" a certain FATE.
And that concept. .FATE. . can only exist with the belief of FREE WILL.
Without one, the other is not possible.
And what is left without either is what interests me.
Test It.
Go into it yourself,
and see.
Every moment is every-thing
"Destiny and free will, their interplay lasts only so long as one does not enquire "WHO is it that is bound?" and "WHO is it that is free?"
- Ramana
.
It is the source of a great deal of thought, corner stone to a massive amount of belief systems, and required baggage for all forms of bigotry.
It is a subject matter that a large percentage of the population will not allow themselves to contemplate. And that alone tells me I need to spend time with it.
"The initial configuration of the universe may have been chosen by God, or it may itself have been determined by the laws of science. In either case, it would seem that everything in the universe would then be determined by evolution according to the laws of science, so it is difficult to see how we can be masters of our fate."
- Stephen Hawking
That one can learn from experience, and in that learning can understand probabilities that may arise from a given action, and in that understanding of probability, effect a change in the programming, and in that change, the events themselves may change. . . . . .yes that is all clearly true.
It just doesn't mean that "you" are ever doing, or the cause, of any of "it". And it certainly doesn't mean there is any kind of 'choice'.
In other words when it comes to the 'force' of 'will', its not about whether you can do what you choose to do. . .it is about whether you even choose your own choices, and whether the choice itself was ever optional.
Also stated, though it may 'appear' that you make a choice, the appearance itself may just be one more part of the programming.
"Everything in nature is the result of fixed laws."
- Charles Darwin
What if we call the body hardware, and we called thought-knowledge-conditioning, software-programming. The combination of the two, hardware (the body-DNA), and software (thought-conditioning) creates outputs. . .the outputs appear as "decisions-events-choices". . . . and the outputs serve as further programs for itself and others.
And in that, the output can ONLY be according to the programming (nature & nurture) . . .and in that, where is any "choice"?
And furthermore, who's choice was it?
And if it was Y's choice, or Z's choice. . .WHO made the choice that brought Y & Z to that point? And who made that choice?
"Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect as well as the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper."
- Albert Einstein
If it sounds like determinism, then you may be seeing things upside down.
What I think is being described above is actually pure freedom.
How would a true understanding of the above stated ideas really
affect what occurs?
I believe the answer to that would be TOTAL forgiveness for ones self, and all others.
But at this point it is important to note I am only guessing. On really good days I have moments which are free of any guessing. But most of the time, I am just guessing.
In otherwords, I don't think it is that we don't know.
I think it is that we forget.
"You will say that I feel free. This is an illusion, which may be compared to that of the fly in the fable, who, upon the pole of a heavy carriage, applauded himself for directing its course. Man, who thinks himself free, is a fly who imagines he has power to move the universe, while he is himself unknowingly carried along by it."
- Baron d'Hobach
I can't give what's left to make a choice a name, because at EVERY given MOMENT it IS EVERYTHING.
Any name separating IT from THAT would be dishonest.
"Everything happens through immutable laws, ...everything is necessary... There are, some persons say, some events which are necessary and others which are not. It would be very comic that one part of the world was arranged, and the other were not; that one part of what happens had to happen and that another part of what happens did not have to happen. If one looks closely at it, one sees that the doctrine contrary to that of destiny is absurd; but there are many people destined to reason badly; others not to reason at all; others to persecute those who reason."
- Voltaire
I believe that is also rational because action is event, and any-thing can create an action. Therefore, the only limitation could be infinity*
*(more on that later.)
"In the mind there is no absolute or free will; but the mind is determined to wish this or that by a cause, which has also been determined by another cause, and this last by another cause, and so on to infinity."
- Baruch Spinoza
So with that I have to ask myself why it wasn't taught before in a practical way for the masses, and then I realize it is. It is just not always expressed in such an obvious and open way. I think sometimes it is meant to sneak up on people. As every act based on anger, pride, envy, greed, and violence is done under the auspices of"free will". . .the corner stone belief is that of an-other who can make choices and in so doing hurt you, or "deserves" a certain FATE.
And that concept. .FATE. . can only exist with the belief of FREE WILL.
Without one, the other is not possible.
And what is left without either is what interests me.
Test It.
Go into it yourself,
and see.
Every moment is every-thing
"Destiny and free will, their interplay lasts only so long as one does not enquire "WHO is it that is bound?" and "WHO is it that is free?"
- Ramana
.
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