Is free will a myth?

[VXIII]

Teeqoz said:

VXIII said:

Interesting read. Human self awareness and consciousness is still a big mystery so I don't think we are able to give a complete and comprehensive answer.

Personally, I do believe in free will. I have food in front of me. There are reasons why I should eat or not eat it. A conflict of two wills / needs. I'm hungry but I want to lose weight.

A simple situation, but it is enough for me get a sense of my ability to choose. I personally see no logical reason or superior power that could have prevented me from choosing either way. At times I ate. Other times I didn't. I prefer this kind of simplicity, but that is just me.

There being two options and you ending up on one of them doesn't mean you actually chose the one you ended up on.

 

You say there is a conflict between two wills/needs. You are hungry but you want to lose weight. Okay. But think about what those two needs/wills actually are; neurons and electrical signals and chemicals in two different systems. Whichever one wins is just the systems that is dominant there and then. Do you think you actually choose which system of neurons, chemicals and electrical signals ends up being dominant?

I think we need to agree that the human consciousness is more than chemicals and electrical signals. Edit: assuming that we can simulate thoso chemical and electrical pulses in a brain-like machine, I think it is logical to say that machine won't have a self awareness because of said pulses. 

To answer your question. Yes. Just like how emotions happen and being felt before the body start to produce all kinds of hormones which enhance the emotions further (fear first, the comes the Adrenaline) I believe the brain pulses which determine the "dominant system" happen due to our choice and will.