Free Will vs. Determinism

Free Will vs. Determinism is more complicated that I thought it would be. Each time I read the article, I have a new thoughts about the debate and question the side I choose. During the class discussion on Monday, it really struck me how many people thought that we did not freely read the essay.

One topic that really struck my mind during the discussion was the idea of free will vs. choices. This struck me because I believe that free will deals with choices. Although during the discussion, I learned that people in the class disagree with this. It allowed me to open my eyes more and made me rethink whether my Q&A answer was accurate or not.

Another topic that struck me was the idea of social pressures hindering people from their free will. When Liz discussed that her friend was forced by her parents to be confirmed, I could understand why free will can be taken away. On the other hand, I believe that it was her friends choice to lose her free will. I think this because I know people who have not been confirmed and their other sibling has. They took the risk to stand up and use their free will to do what they believed was right. I believe that caving in to society/parents' wishes is what makes people not have "free will." It is up to the person whether they want to use their free will or not.

The discussion of determinism also intrigued me. It helped me see how some people's lives are "carved out" for them already and how the have no choice (i.e. Liz's friend being confirmed). Once again, I believe that it is a choice to live a deterministic live or not. I believe that people have the choice to use their free will or follow the path people want them to follow.

Overall, I believe this class discussion gave me a lot of insight. It helped me realize that free will vs. determinism is a lot more confusing than I originally thought. I am looking forward to the discussion tomorrow and wonder if my perspective might change to the oppoosition.