This by the way is my most unpopular opinion. It's the opinion that if I ever state it people look at me like they suddenly think I'm a conspiracy theorist - ThreadSky

louiseankers.bsky.social • 563 days ago

This by the way is my most unpopular opinion. It's the opinion that if I ever state it people look at me like they suddenly think I'm a conspiracy theorist

Reposted from Critical Cupcake 🌈 ♿ ⚛️

Stanford neurobiologist, after decades of study, concludes: We don’t have free will

www.latimes.com/science/stor...

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criticalcupcake.bsky.social•563 days ago

🤭

seanedmund.bsky.social•563 days ago

Kinda agree with the workings but not entirely the answer, but also in a nuuanced way that isn't suitable for a microblogging site before 08.30 on a Wednesday. Really interesting article though, thanks for sharing.

louiseankers.bsky.social•563 days ago

I first became aware of the idea many years ago in 13 things that don't make sense, : https://amzn.eu/d/eu9nrBx

if you wanted to read more on it. I've also ordered this guy's book

criticalcupcake.bsky.social•563 days ago

Have you seen his lecture series on behavioral evolution?

louiseankers.bsky.social•563 days ago

And have you ever read Asimov's Foundation? This..
seems a lot like psychohistory

criticalcupcake.bsky.social•563 days ago

I don't think so, but it would've been a long time ago if I had.

louiseankers.bsky.social•563 days ago

It's a science fiction series, incredible world building

louiseankers.bsky.social•563 days ago

No, would love to tho. On YouTube?

criticalcupcake.bsky.social•563 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNnIGh9g6fA&list=PL5mY9sxl3lY477lf5i6nC6g1mBKdIYCob

kentindell.bsky.social•563 days ago

“I’ve also been compelled to read this guy’s book” surely? 😉

louiseankers.bsky.social•563 days ago

Absolutely through a combination of childhood influences and what I had for breakfast

kentindell.bsky.social•563 days ago

I do think they are some very good arguments against free will. But I reject them utterly because I don’t like the implications.

louiseankers.bsky.social•563 days ago

Oh aye, but Eastern thought (particularly the lack of self) is a good and less threatening entry point into this

I agree to a point tho on implications tho, we'd have to dismantle Western society and nobody's got time for that

kentindell.bsky.social•563 days ago

I have been compelled.

andrewhickey.500songs.com•562 days ago

I've honestly, even since I was a tiny child, never understood the concept of free will. It just fundamentally seems *incoherent* to me. Like I don't think even the people who think it's real have a real understanding of what they mean by the term.

louiseankers.bsky.social•562 days ago

I think I'm with you but from the opposite angle - I am large, I contain multitudes, I am super aware of the constant influences on my decisions, I guess I'm more self aware than some (cos of ADHD) and ... so it's not much of a jump for me to know or sense there isn't a "will"

jowiph.bsky.social•562 days ago

As a rigorously defined philosophical concept, I agree with you, but I also think that free will as a fuzzy folk concept is necessary for day-to-day human functioning, just like the idea of a unitary, discrete self

louiseankers.bsky.social•562 days ago

Eastern thought at least examines the idea there is no self, because we are at one with the universe and everything changes

andrewhickey.500songs.com•562 days ago

Yeah, that's also true. At least when living in a society where literally every aspect of that society involves concepts like blame and responsibility that don't work once you start thinking too hard about free will vs determinism.

louiseankers.bsky.social•562 days ago

There's some glimmers of hope. Might sound trite but software development has the Agile Manifesto which is a bit utopian in its desire to have group responsibility and resolve things with talking, but.. it also works

louiseankers.bsky.social•562 days ago

Yessss

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