Sure, but that's not what people mean when they say they have free will. To the vast majority of people free will means they could have made a different decision than they did. In a deterministic system that's not the case. What you've described is the compatibilist definition of free will. Compatibilists simply redefine free will and claim that we have it. It's a lousy way to win an argument.
Sure, but that's not what people mean when they say they have free will. To the vast majority of people free will means they could have made a different decision than they did. In a deterministic system that's not the case.
What you've described is the compatibilist definition of free will. Compatibilists simply redefine free will and claim that we have it. It's a lousy way to win an argument.
Compatibilism is following the practical aspect of the term rather than the incompatible "could have done otherwise" not relevant and theoretical aspect. "Could have done otherwise" is a kind of spell to ward off the bogey man of being a slave to some other force.
Compatibilism is following the practical aspect of the term rather than the incompatible "could have done otherwise" not relevant and theoretical aspect. "Could have done otherwise" is a kind of spell to ward off the bogey man of being a slave to some other force.
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