Essay Available:
Pages:
3 pages/≈1650 words
Sources:
2
Style:
APA
Subject:
Social Sciences
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 12.96
Topic:
Free Will is an Illusion
Essay Instructions:
It is one thing to come to the philosophical view that there is no such thing as free will and quite another to live one’s life with this conviction. Many philosophers who argue that we lack free will, or even that the very idea of free will is incoherent, nonetheless maintain that we have to live as if we have free will. Susan Blackmore disagrees. She claims that it is perfectly possible and desirable to fully embrace the view that free will is an illusion. Why does she say this? Is her view defensible? Note: The question for this paper isn’t whether we have free will but is instead premised on the supposition that we don’t have free will. Assuming for sake of argument that we don’t, would free will still be an inevitable or useful illusion? Explain. Readings: • Blackmore, “Living without Free Will” • Blackmore, interviews with Greenfield, Pat Churchland, Paul Churchland, and Wegner (Attachment - excerpted from Blackmore’s Conversations on Consciousness). *Use only the reading provided above to establish the claims for this paper. Try not to use any other external sources.
Essay Sample Content Preview:
Free Will is an Illusion
Name:
Course Code
Instructor:
Date of Submission
Introduction
Human beings have the perception that there is free will. Free will by definition is the state of having the freedom and liberty to do what one wishes. Some psychologists are researchers have however refuted the claim of existence of free will. They argue that free will does not exist and that there are certain factors that trigger or cause human beings to act in a particular way. They therefore argue that the belief of existence of free will is a pure illusion which must be dispelled (Blackmore, 2013). This discussion takes it focus on the argument that free will is an illusion. Of great essence in the discussion is whether or not the illusion of free will is inevitable and useful.
Pure Illusion
The debate as of existence of free will appears to getting definite answers. According to Blackmore (2010), the brain of a human being has no ability to consciously decide what to or what not to do. Rather, there are many factors that influence the decisions that the brain makes thereby taking away the aspect of free will. Free will in this case means a hundred percent noninterference of influenced by other factors (Blackmore, 2013). Researcher conducted over time show that human brains are always influenced into taking certain decisions depending on the circumstances of each case.
Inability to Accept
One of the questions that one cannot help but ask is why is it difficult for people to accept free will as an illusion? Even those who are very to the manner in which the human brain works still find it difficult to accept that free will does not exist. Some biologists are heavily opposed to the idea that the human brain is merely a machine that has no control. Having studied biology intensely and understands the central nervous system, a large number of biologists still argue that free will exists. What makes it so difficult for people to accept that what they have always considered as free will is pure illusion? This is mainly due to the concept of consciousness. Majority of people are driven by the belief that the actions they take are conscious (Blackmore, 2010). This means that they are fully aware of the actions and the consequences. As such they belief that they have the free will. The knowledge of the magnitude of an action and the consequences of every action is construed to mean free will. People engage in every action fully aware of what the action entails and the consequences that follow the action. Therefore, the fact that one chose to engage in action is itself interpreted to mean free will. Biologists observe that indeed there are genes that of free will which more often are the reason why people feel that free will exists. It is these genes, coupled with environmental factors that control the behavior of the body.
Biologists further note that consciousness is a state in which one is fully aware of their actions. Being aware of one’s actions and the consequences that follow does not give them free will. Instead, there must be the actual ability to control what one does for what to have free will. The mere knowledge and awareness does not make one have free will (Blackmore, 2013). It may also surprise many to know that consciousness does not in any way influence one’s behavior. The role played by consciousness in determining whether one will engage in a particular behavior or not is very minimal. This explains why people engage in acts that they know are wrong and also know that the consequences of such actions are dire. For example, people who engage in crimes are aware that the act they are engaging in is a crime. Further, they know that if apprehended, they may be locked up in a prison. To that extent that is the work of consciousness to help one understand the magnitude of an action and its consequences. Yet, such people still go ahead and commit those crimes. This explains that mere consciousness has not contributory or significant role in the behavior of a person. If when one is fully aware of an action and its consequences, this does not prevent them or drive into engaging in the action.
Relationship between Illusion of Free Will and Consciousness
Biologists argue that there is a close relationship between the illusion of free will and consciousness. Blackmore (2013) notes that the illusion that free will exists is often drawn from the existences of consciousness.) As aforementioned herein above, human beings indeed do have consciousness. This is the ability to understand an act...
Name:
Course Code
Instructor:
Date of Submission
Introduction
Human beings have the perception that there is free will. Free will by definition is the state of having the freedom and liberty to do what one wishes. Some psychologists are researchers have however refuted the claim of existence of free will. They argue that free will does not exist and that there are certain factors that trigger or cause human beings to act in a particular way. They therefore argue that the belief of existence of free will is a pure illusion which must be dispelled (Blackmore, 2013). This discussion takes it focus on the argument that free will is an illusion. Of great essence in the discussion is whether or not the illusion of free will is inevitable and useful.
Pure Illusion
The debate as of existence of free will appears to getting definite answers. According to Blackmore (2010), the brain of a human being has no ability to consciously decide what to or what not to do. Rather, there are many factors that influence the decisions that the brain makes thereby taking away the aspect of free will. Free will in this case means a hundred percent noninterference of influenced by other factors (Blackmore, 2013). Researcher conducted over time show that human brains are always influenced into taking certain decisions depending on the circumstances of each case.
Inability to Accept
One of the questions that one cannot help but ask is why is it difficult for people to accept free will as an illusion? Even those who are very to the manner in which the human brain works still find it difficult to accept that free will does not exist. Some biologists are heavily opposed to the idea that the human brain is merely a machine that has no control. Having studied biology intensely and understands the central nervous system, a large number of biologists still argue that free will exists. What makes it so difficult for people to accept that what they have always considered as free will is pure illusion? This is mainly due to the concept of consciousness. Majority of people are driven by the belief that the actions they take are conscious (Blackmore, 2010). This means that they are fully aware of the actions and the consequences. As such they belief that they have the free will. The knowledge of the magnitude of an action and the consequences of every action is construed to mean free will. People engage in every action fully aware of what the action entails and the consequences that follow the action. Therefore, the fact that one chose to engage in action is itself interpreted to mean free will. Biologists observe that indeed there are genes that of free will which more often are the reason why people feel that free will exists. It is these genes, coupled with environmental factors that control the behavior of the body.
Biologists further note that consciousness is a state in which one is fully aware of their actions. Being aware of one’s actions and the consequences that follow does not give them free will. Instead, there must be the actual ability to control what one does for what to have free will. The mere knowledge and awareness does not make one have free will (Blackmore, 2013). It may also surprise many to know that consciousness does not in any way influence one’s behavior. The role played by consciousness in determining whether one will engage in a particular behavior or not is very minimal. This explains why people engage in acts that they know are wrong and also know that the consequences of such actions are dire. For example, people who engage in crimes are aware that the act they are engaging in is a crime. Further, they know that if apprehended, they may be locked up in a prison. To that extent that is the work of consciousness to help one understand the magnitude of an action and its consequences. Yet, such people still go ahead and commit those crimes. This explains that mere consciousness has not contributory or significant role in the behavior of a person. If when one is fully aware of an action and its consequences, this does not prevent them or drive into engaging in the action.
Relationship between Illusion of Free Will and Consciousness
Biologists argue that there is a close relationship between the illusion of free will and consciousness. Blackmore (2013) notes that the illusion that free will exists is often drawn from the existences of consciousness.) As aforementioned herein above, human beings indeed do have consciousness. This is the ability to understand an act...
Get the Whole Paper!
Not exactly what you need?
Do you need a custom essay? Order right now: