Does free will exist?

[FVRKAN]

I didn't choose my appearance, my nationality, my family, my gender, the numbers of neurons in my brain, the environment that I was raised... But I wouldn't be able to choose these before I existed because there was no me. That's an existential paradox. Alright. But after taking over the responsibility of a human body as a consciousness affected by all the factors I counted above, I ask: Does free will exist? And I'm imagining the effects of energies something like this:



Let's say the black circle is the effect radius of the world, and let's say the green and the blue are the effect radius of some planets, and the purple is an effect radius of a trauma that you had, and the examples can be increased as much as you want. Either it's tangible planets, or intangible experiences. But one thing is really obvious. That red circle, that very small red circle is our existence's effect radius. So that means, even if have free will, the things we will be able to change is really really small compared to energies that dominate us.

So I wonder a lot about your opinions about free will. When there's not even a single thing about we chose about ourselves, when we even didn't choose our hands to have, (which makes all other choices we make not ours) can we claim that everything is our hands?

 

[katydid]

Unless of course, 'you ' did in fact choose your appearance, nationality, family and gender, and birthday.

Possibly 'you' in your 'Soul State', chose this particular incarnation, your specific birth parents, location of birth and general life circumstances?

You still do not have total Free Will in this life but you may have had some free will in terms of the specific experience this incarnation needed to be for your overall karmic journey. I don't know, but I think it's quite possible that we do have that kind of starting point as we await launch point before birth.

 

[JUPITERASC]

I didn't choose my appearance, my nationality, my family, my gender, the numbers of neurons in my brain, the environment that I was raised... But I wouldn't be able to choose these before I existed because there was no me. That's an existential paradox. Alright. But after taking over the responsibility of a human body as a consciousness affected by all the factors I counted above, I ask: Does free will exist? And I'm imagining the effects of energies something like this:

View attachment 114491

Let's say the black circle is the effect radius of the world, and let's say the green and the blue are the effect radius of some planets, and the purple is an effect radius of a trauma that you had, and the examples can be increased as much as you want. Either it's tangible planets, or intangible experiences. But one thing is really obvious. That red circle, that very small red circle is our existence's effect radius. So that means, even if have free will, the things we will be able to change is really really small compared to energies that dominate us.

for example
planet earth revolving on its axis is ".a movement of the heavens..."
hence
"...Day/Night..."
uninfluenced by '...freewill...'

So I wonder a lot about your opinions about free will. When there's not even a single thing about we chose about ourselves, when we even didn't choose our hands to have, (which makes all other choices we make not ours) can we claim that everything is our hands?

 

[FVRKAN]

Unless of course, 'you ' did in fact choose your appearance, nationality, family and gender, and birthday.

Possibly 'you' in your 'Soul State', chose this particular incarnation, your specific birth parents, location of birth and general life circumstances?

You still do not have total Free Will in this life but you may have had some free will in terms of the specific experience this incarnation needed to be for your overall karmic journey. I don't know, but I think it's quite possible that we do have that kind of starting point as we await launch point before birth.

I can’t rely on something I don’t remember at all. This can be another God syndrome of humans, as they need to create something to keep going. I mean this idea of soul state can be a makeup for some humans to be able continue their life because if there’s not something called soul state, then just because of the fact then I’m becoming not responsible for existing and because I don’t know the character I’m managing (even we keep learning about ourselves as long as we’re alive, as if we have never been a fully complete and aware ‘we’) then why would I carry this character and call it “I”? This may lead some to suicide, so they need something to hold on it sounds like. But not gonna lie, sometimes I'm having that kinda feeling like as if I was in some state like a soul state before I was born and I was claiming them and to the Creator like "I can do this. Send me to the world. I can prove this." but I don't know. I don't think a soul would choose to be born with a mutation or to be born in a family that person's gonna be abused etc. As Schopenhauer said, if this world has been slightly worse than this, life wouldn't be possible. I don't have any idea/knowledge about karmic journey.

 

[katydid]

I can’t rely on something I don’t remember at all. This can be another God syndrome of humans, as they need to create something to keep going. I mean this idea of soul state can be a makeup for some humans to be able continue their life because if there’s not something called soul state, then just because of the fact then I’m becoming not responsible for existing and because I don’t know the character I’m managing (even we keep learning about ourselves as long as we’re alive, as if we have never been a fully complete and aware ‘we’) then why would I carry this character and call it “I”? This may lead some to suicide, so they need something to hold on it sounds like. But not gonna lie, sometimes I'm having that kinda feeling like as if I was in some state like a soul state before I was born and I was claiming them and to the Creator like "I can do this. Send me to the world. I can prove this." but I don't know. I don't think a soul would choose to be born with a mutation or to be born in a family that person's gonna be abused etc. As Schopenhauer said, if this world has been slightly worse than this, life wouldn't be possible. I don't have any idea/knowledge about karmic journey.

Ok, here is where it gets interesting...I understand that you cannot rely upon something that you cannot remember.

There are instances where people have had memories or experiences with their 'soul state.'

For one example, very personal to me, I drowned in the ocean at 14, and had a Near Death Experience. At the time, I had never ever heard anything about NDE's. But many many years later, as I am now 73, I did begin hearing stories from others that were EXACTLY like mine.

I was out of breath, in a riptide under water, could not breathe and had to exhale, thought I was going to die----but suddenly calmness and serenity overcame me, and I opened my eyes, I saw the bright white light, and my life flashed before my eyes, as if I was watching a backwards movie, except that whole thing happened in seconds...Two silhouettes standing under the blinding light beckoned me---one was clearly my grandfather who had died a few years earlier. We spoke to each other, but only in our heads, we communicated---and he held his arms out to me but said at the same time " You don't need to come with me, you can go back if you'd like"

Split second later I am on the beach with lifeguards and spitting up water onto the sand....

So I began to understand the Soul State and the 'other side' and I began investigating the possibilities that reincarnation describe.

 

[katydid]

[snipped for focus] . Send me to the world. I can prove this." but I don't know. I don't think a soul would choose to be born with a mutation or to be born in a family that person's gonna be abused etc.

I guess the best way to explain it is everyone has to experience everything in order to graduate from our Earthly process. So although it might be nice to only have nice incarnations where we are healthy, handsome, talented, doted upon---it is not possible nor effective in the end.

Just like when we choose our classes in high school or college---it'd be nice to just take art and Physical Education, we all have to take some of the hard classes and early morning classes sometimes.

As Schopenhauer said, if this world has been slightly worse than this, life wouldn't be possible. I don't have any idea/knowledge about karmic journey.

You probably do have some idea about the karmic journey. Like everyone, you're living it.