Free Will?

crisbduck · 12 May 2011 at 02:33

I wondered whether you thought free will existed?

My thoughts;
If the big bang happened again, exactly the same in every sense, wouldn't the universe turn out exactly the same?
And following on from this logic wouldn't all of history be exactly the same as decisions are based on physical processes in the brain.
So wouldn't I be sat here typing this all over again, and you be reading it?
And therefore my life would always be the same based on the big bang.
And so there is no free will?

I hope someone can prove me wrong because I quite like the idea of free will

Hatter The Mad · 12 May 2011 at 02:50

andy_mk3 · 12 May 2011 at 02:57

Interesting theory. However it is 3am and it hurts to think

GothicCorpse · 12 May 2011 at 03:06

Imagine lots of big bangs, like bubbles. all next to eachother like a bubblebath.

andy_mk3 · 12 May 2011 at 03:07

Bubbles? I imagined lots of fire and pretty sparky things.

Tefal · 12 May 2011 at 03:08

Determinism.

Closest you can come to "fee will" is the random element that quantum mechanics introduces.

Strife212 · 12 May 2011 at 03:09

crisbduck said:
My thoughts;
If the big bang happened again, exactly the same in every sense, wouldn't the universe turn out exactly the same?

Using Classical Physics, yes

Using Quantum Mechanics, no

will13 · 12 May 2011 at 03:09

I thought somebody was giving me away..

Tefal · 12 May 2011 at 03:14

Strife212 said:
Using Classical Physics, yes

Using Quantum Mechanics, no

but it's not a concious decision to be different, it's simply random chance.

Strife212 · 12 May 2011 at 03:15

Indeed

smit101 · 12 May 2011 at 03:16

I'm just off to make a pot of coffee by my own freewill now, or is it a pre-determined action that I was always going to take which can be shown in mathematical formula? :confused:

who knows? Personally I believe in the soul and freewill, I sure as hell can't prove it to you though!

GothicCorpse · 12 May 2011 at 03:19

the soul is where its at.

chameleon · 12 May 2011 at 06:00

So if you use free will to watch Free Willy will
A: you'll be arrested for cottaging.
B: something will go pop on a quantum level.
C: the universe will disappear up it's own backside?

Vonhelmet · 12 May 2011 at 07:16

I can't imagine you could test one way or another whether free will exists.

Mr^B · 12 May 2011 at 07:20

If the big bang happened again, exactly the same in every sense, wouldn't the universe turn out exactly the same?

No. Because of quantum.

And following on from this logic wouldn't all of history be exactly the same as decisions are based on physical processes in the brain.

No. Because of quantum.

So wouldn't I be sat here typing this all over again, and you be reading it?

No. Because of quantum.

And therefore my life would always be the same based on the big bang.
And so there is no free will?

No. Because of quantum.

More specifically quantum indeterminism.

Clown · 12 May 2011 at 08:23

Didn't know he was banned.

p4radox · 12 May 2011 at 08:25

I have no choice but to believe free will exists.

J-FRO · 12 May 2011 at 08:31

this is the sort of shizzay which leads to religions being created I think.

People can't seem to answer questions for themselves or refuse to believe there isn't an answer to those questions and so they automatically adopt an "idol" or god like figure to be the answer to all those problems.

Cosimo · 12 May 2011 at 08:34

will13 said:
I thought somebody was giving me away..

It's your choice.

Bunka · 12 May 2011 at 09:30

It would be interesting to have what is essentially a clone of earth created at the same time. The decisions that people had made in life on the other planet (earth v2) such as wars etc. could shape history,technology, medicine etc. and result in a completely different place.