There is a book titled "The illusion of conscious will" authored by Harvard Ph D. Psychologist Daniel M. Wegner that may be of some interest regarding this subject.
It at least *seems* that our genetics and our interaction with our environment are the major determining factors that govern who & even what we are. Tinker with the genetic code enough, and you won't even be human anymore, at least not what we presently consider human. If you are born into a primitive tribe in the jungle, then your choices are limited and regardless of what choices you make, you would be a completely different person than if you had lived your life in the modern world. Our choices are limited by our environment, therefore our environment governs over our choices. You can make the best of what you have, and this seems the most sensible way to live, but making lemons from lemonade is only going to get you so far, depending on what environment you're living in.
At perhaps the most basic level, we make most of the decisions and choices that we do, in order to either acquire pleasure or avoid pain. Even if we do (or don't do) something that seems to bring us pain, it's generally because we perceive the alternative course of action (or inaction)as bringing us more pain.
What we feel or think is most desirable or best, what we find pleasurable or painful, what we like and don't like, is governed by who we are. Who we are, is determined by our genetics and our experiences interacting with our environment. One could argue that we at least in part, choose to be who we are or that we can at least make a choice to strive to be who we want to be, however, who we choose to be or "who we want to be" is due to "who we are", which is due to our genetics and our past interaction with our environment. We have the tastes, desires, and motivations we have, because of who we are.
When confronted with the need or desire to make choices, we have the ability to make a choice, and to make whatever choice that we wish to make, based on what we feel or think is most desirable or best. It seems we do indeed have the ability to choose, but the choices we make are determined by who we are. Who we are is determined by our genetics, our environment, and our will. Indeed, it seems our will is determined *by* who we are, but at the same time has a hand *in determining* who we are, and/or who we strive to be. If our will & what we are going to choose is determined by who we are, did we ever really have a choice ?
As far as we know, all matter in the universe is governed by the laws of physics and nature, and we are made of the same matter (atoms & sub-atomic particles) as everything else in the universe. We are not separate from the universe but a part of it. In a sense, we are the universe & the universe is us. When we interact with each other and/or our environment, it is merely the universe interacting with itself. We are an assemblage of atoms (matter) which has become self aware. We are a part of the universe that has become aware of itself.
Could it be that everything that we are, our desires, motives, tastes, choices, decisions, everything that we think and do, is governed by a set of events that can be traced back to the big bang ? I'm not even sure I buy into the big bang theory, I'm just posing the question. There may be randomness in the universe in the same way that there is randomness in games of chance, but are the odds in our favor? How much control over our lives do we really have ? How much control over ourselves do we really have ? All the self-help gurus and TV psychologists will tell you that you can at the very least control how you perceive and react to the world, events, and people in your life, but considering some of the points above, how true is this ? I would like it to be true, but is it ?
The arguments regarding ethics and punishments as they relate to a lack of free will never really interested me that much. People have posed the question, how can people be punished for a crime if their lives are determined by fate ? The fact is, we have to hold ourselves and each other accountable for our actions or else we will have total anarchy in society. I also think that holding ourselves accountable and responsible for our lives just produces better results. From a practical standpoint, taking responsibility for your life will produce better results than blaming your problems on fate, regardless of which philosophy is actually true.
We actually know very little about the Universe in the grand scheme of things. In an infinite universe, what you don't know is always going to be infinitely more vast than what you do know. There could be many things that exist that we simply do not have the senses to perceive. Bats have a kind of radar so they can perceive things on a level we cannot. There could be many more types of senses we do not posses.
Considering that we really do not know very much about the universe and considering that things are not always what the seem, perhaps we may never really know whether or not our lives are ruled by determinism, fate, freewill, or a combination thereof. We just don't know enough to be totally sure of anything.
I often think faith is a good coping mechanism in such cases. Faith is a kind of power to create your own reality, to believe in something even if the facts *seem* to indicate otherwise. Science is a good tool to gain understanding, but our understanding is always evolving and changing. Sometimes this is a process filled with loops and eddy's.
How would your life be different if it turns out it is ruled by determinism ? It would probably not be different but would it be manageable & bearable knowing that every aspect of your life is determined by fate and that free will is an illusion ?
If we found out for sure that determinism is our reality, then all we could do is try to enjoy the ride as best as we can, and meet our destiny with as much honor and dignity as we can. In any event, it certainly seems the more aware you are and the more educated you are, the more control you have over your life. If we found out for sure that fate rules our lives all we could do is try to make the best decisions and choices possible in order to try to have the lives we desire, while hoping that someday we can somehow attain true freedom. On the other hand, in a universe this vast and without knowing how much we are not perceiving and can never perceive since we do not have the senses for such perception, how can we ever be really sure of anything ? The universe is so vast and our mental capacity and ability to perceive may be so limited that we can never really understand the true nature of the universe or our place in it.
Personally, I have faith that we have a hand in our own destiny, and that there is also an element of chance in our lives.
Who knows for sure ?
John
