We are all One ...
(Top Posts - Philosophy (FREELOVER) - 102500)

... with the cosmos. We flow through life with the illusion
of control, but with very little we are actually in control
of, an inevitable event/being in a vast cosmos of time
and space, inextricably linked to one another and to our
surroundings in which we find ourselves.

Free will or absolute destiny?

Tricky, the difference between the illusion of free will and
free will as an absolute. If you think of the now as an event
equivalent to a snapshot of a wave, with humans being surfers
on the wave, perhaps you can begin to consider the flow of
events in a different way.

At any point, there are a finite number of options for any
surfer on the wave, based on physical law. I "choose" based
on all events prior to the now point in the wave. I can no more
divorce myself from the prior points in the wave than I can
"choose" an option outside the finite number of options
existing in this now.

In other words, my illusion of "free choice" is a result of all
the previous events in the "eternal" wave (eternal in theory,
known in theory at least back to a point close to the big bang)
and the finite number of options presented at any now point
in the wave.

Put another way, given all the points in the wave leading up
to any now, that now can be no different than it is because
it is a result, not a choice independent of the wave. It "feels"
free because of our (humans') limited processing power.

We cannot possibly begin to fathom the practically infinite
points in the "eternal" wave which led to our experiential
now, so we treat life with the illusion of free will when we
are really surfers on the "eternal" wave, hanging ten, doing
it over and over again in an endless wave (endless in the
metaphorical sense as to a never-ending natural cosmos
[yet to be proven]).

Of course, we may not be around (upon death) to observe
the wave but the wave goes on (and on and on ...) with or
without us.

The neat way to look at this is that we can "create" stimuli
which impacts others in positive and constructive ways and
the fact that any stimuli we "create" is understandable based
on a point in a wave does not alter the fact that we can make
a difference in the future of those surfers riding the "eternal"
wave. Humbling that our "choice" to make a difference is,
in absolute terms, a result and not a creation independent
of the wave.

Paradoxical, the ability to impact the future of surfers on the
wave, the illusion of free will, and the knowledge that any
stimuli we "create" is in absolute terms a result of a natural
destiny.

The above statements - all the result of my natural destiny
(and any actions you take in response to this post are actions
that are part of your natural destiny which now includes the
reading of this post - heavy, that, the knowledge that we
impact others in a real and substantive way).

Travel back in time (right before you read this post). Reflect
on the events up to this point in reading this post. Extend
your right arm and slowly move your right hand until you
touch the tip of your nose.

Now, ponder the actions and thoughts you've just experienced.
In an alternate universe or in a replay of all events in this
universe up to the end of the previous paragraph, how could
your action have been any different without some external
change in stimuli. In other words, given the same exact stimuli,
the same exact eternal wave, if you will, your illusion of your
"choice" would have been exactly the same, a result of all the
events prior to that (past) now.

You can reflect and think you could have chosen differently,
but you cannot explain the mechanism for choosing differently
without eliminating natural law and reaction to stimuli. You
cannot change the stimuli (that part of the wave has passed)
and you cannot, therefore, travel backwards on the wave and
make a different "free choice" - the choice you made is final
and irreversible, a finite point in an eternal wave which could
have not been different without an ability to supernaturally
travel backwards on the wave of time and space.

As for the future, yes, we can use this now in the wave to
impact the future in a positive or negative way, but we cannot
divorce ourselves from the knowledge that whatever "choices"
we make, they're the result of stimuli (all actions prior to this
point in the wave), not a creation of something outside the
wave.

The only random possible (that I'm familiar with) is the random
nature of the very very very very very very very very tiny world
of quantum physics. However, whatever of import is going on
in that random world, that adds nothing to the equation of free
choice, it simply adds another factor (like all previous points in
the wave) outside our control.

To "freely choose" differently, some action taken in the past,
time travel is required. That part of the wave has passed and
cannot be changed - I submit that that part of the wave is an
inevitable result of natural destiny and could not logically be
any different in any alternate experience (unless the quantum
factor mentioned above will lead to some random variation,
in which case the choice made would only have been different
based on a random factor in that alternate experience being
different, not by sheer force of will reaching outside the wave).

Let's ride that wave like there's no tomorrow and use our now
for the betterment of humankind. My illusion of free will leads
me to think I can make a difference - fitting in with the wave
theory, of course, is the knowledge that stimuli impacts the
surfers and if our genes and memes have led us to a result of
stimuli positively impacting we surfers, far out, cool beans,
let's do it! What will be, will be, and we'll see if choices "free"
fill humankind with glee (feels "free" anyway :-) ...