alkaloid

I think it's pretty easy for many (i hope most) of us to accept causality in the world. If you drop a bowling ball on your foot, it's likely to hurt, and maybe you will break a bone or two. If you jump off a 1000ft tall building, you are likely to die. If you are taking a class and don't study, you are likely to do less well in the test. If you don't drink or eat for a few weeks, or months, you are likely to die. etc. You can construct more complicated cause-effect chain, too. And after a while, you find out that it's pretty hard to predict future.

If we accept something happens because of something that preceded it, then we can accept that our thoughts happen because of something that preceded it, either an action or another thought, or more likely a combination of many things. Is this too much of jump?

Then (some) people will suddenly jump up and freak out. Nononono, this can't be. My mind can't be determined by other things, because my mind is FREE! It has to be that there is free will, because I FEEL it. Why can't you FEEL it? Isn't it obvous? Yes, I have to believe that there is free will, because I'm not a robot, I'm not a slave to the circumstances.

When some people talk about free will, they often say or imply something like, "Look at this alcoholic. He is a loser because he chose to drink unreasonably large quantities of cheap booze when he could will himself not to drink. Why can't he just say no?

If by free will, you mean if you wish something hard enough and work hard enough, then you will be able to do something, like conquering alcoholism, or climbing Mount Everest. Of course, that means the alcoholics simply choose to be losers. And circumstances are no excuse. If your mother was an alcoholic, and your father was alcoholic, and your grandfather was alcoholic, and your brother is an alcoholic, that doesn't mean you have to be an alcholic. Just say no. Just put your mind to it. If you try hard enough, you will be successful. Don't pay attention to the statistics that says that you are 100 times more likely to be alcoholic.

If you were sexually molested as a child, I know it's very tough, but just get over it and become a doctor. Don't become like that loser stripper girl, Jennifer, next block, or like Bob, thefriendly neighborhood pedophile living in the trailer park few miles from here. You have a free will. You can get over it. Become a doctor. There is no problem, because your mind is free, completely free from any external influences. Remember, you have CHOICES.

Yes, you have 20 friends who smoke and 1 who don't. I know you feel like smoking sometimes but get over it. Use your judgement and exercise your FREE will and just don't smoke.

Yes, you on welfare. Just stop it, and become a genius like me. Remember, your mind is free. I know you are 40 years old and didn't quite finish junior high school, but that doesn't matter. Now is the time. I'm telling you that you are totally free to do whatever you want. Don't be a loser, become a college graduate just like me! No matter that my family trust paid for my private school, my first BMW and college education. No I'm not paying for your education. Get your own family wealth.

And you, just jumped out from an airplane, and you can't open your parachute? Well, try harder. If you can't open the parachute, then try flapping your arms very fast. And try to catch the updraft at the last moment. Good luck. You can do it! Don't give up!