[MD] Free Will

Steven Peterson peterson.steve at gmail.com
Thu Jun 9 16:18:38 PDT 2011


Craig:
Harris is at a tremendous disadvantage in this debate.  He must argue
that of all the billions of people who have ever lived on earth, none
of them at any time in their life, exercised free will.  I only have
to argue that there was one case.

Steve:
No, examples and counter-examples won't serve either side. What you
need to do is argue that free will is an intelligible concept against
Sam Harris's arguments that it is incoherent gibberish.

Einstein as quoted by Harris:

"Honestly, I cannot understand what people mean when they talk about
the freedom of the human will. I have a feeling, for instance, that I
will something or other; but what relation this has with freedom I
cannot understand at all. I feel that I will to light my pipe and I do
it; but how can I connect this up with the idea of freedom? What is
behind the act of willing to light the pipe? Another act of willing?
Schopenhauer once said: Der Mensch kann was er will; er kann aber
nicht wollen was er will (Man can do what he will but he cannot will
what he wills)."



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