The basic definition of free will states that free will is the capacity that an agent has to choose his/her course of action. As someone raised in a Christian family, I have always believed in free will or the idea of “moral liberty” (the capacity to discern and pursue the good instead of the morally incorrect). Even when I started losing my faith in God, I firmly believed in this Christian concept, to the point that I didn’t even know it was a topic that was heavily debated or doubted.
I first came across the question of the existence of free will when I saw a debate between the political thinker Ben Shapiro and theologist Alex O’Connor. The debate centered around whether religion is good or not for society, yet what caught my attention was the conversation about free will. O’Connor, an atheist, stated that it did not exist; instead, he claimed that biological and external factors influenced everything we did.
I had to admit, this didn’t convince me. Yes, some of our actions may be influenced by biological instincts, such as eating or sleeping, but certainly, there would be some things that we could do to choose our path, to have control over it.
I investigated for hours about this topic to see what different people thought. And I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting that much discussion. I quickly learned that the debate was not simply about the existence of free will, but also about what it implies if it exists or if it doesn’t, and whether this concept is compatible with other lines of thought. I had to learn many terms, which could be confusing as they were defined differently depending on the philosopher or the line of thought. So, I created this chart below to try to help you understand different terms. In some cases, I included more than one definition.
| Term | Definition |
| Free will | 1. The capacity to make decisions without any external influence dictating the action. 2.. Rational desire |
| Determinism | The belief that all events are inevitable. When a person makes a certain decision, it is impossible that he or she could have made another decision. |
| Hard-determinists | Philosophers who believe that determinism is incompatible with free will as events are already determined. |
| Soft-determinists/compatibilists | Determinism and free will are compatible. Some compatibilists say that causal determinism does not undermine our freedom to do otherwise. The freedom to choose otherwise is enough for the kind of control an agent must possess to be morally responsible for their actions. Other compatibilists say that freedom is not necessary for meaningful forms of free will. Some even deny that freedom is connected to morally responsible agency. |
Now, this was an overload of information for me to take. So I decided to take baby steps and begin with the history of this debate.
For a long time, the existence of free will was not questioned. But after the publishment of “On the Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin, people began to question the implications of the theory of evolution. Sir Francis Galton, Darwin’s cousin, began to say that if we have evolved, mental capabilities must be hereditary. In the case that this is true, our ability to choose between different options is not free but rather depends on biological inheritance.
According to “The Atlantic”, scientists have begun to reach the agreement that genes and the environment shape networks of neurons in our brain. American psychologist Benjamin Libet conducted an experiment that demonstrated that electrical activity builds up in a person’s brain before they consciously decide to act. So, the conscious experience of choosing, which is associated with free will, could be argued to be a reconstruction of events that occur after the brain has already put that act in motion.
This issue has spread to court cases, with many using evidence from neuroscience to claim that their brain made them do it. For example, there have been instances of people becoming murderers after developing a brain tumor, suggesting that we are dependent on physical and biological aspects that we cannot control.
As I thought about this, I began to ask many questions. However, this one was the one that stuck with me the most: if it is true that free will does not exist, why do we act ‘morally’ in cases where it may be convenient to act on self-interest? Now, to answer my question, I forced myself to ignore my belief in free will and reason it out. For survival reasons, it would make sense that we would feel the biological instinct to form groups and eventually societies. Each person would have a role that ensures not only the cohesive functioning of society but also our safety. Once that society is achieved, it would be foolish for us to turn against each other when we work better as a whole unit. Yet there might be some who think that it is in their interest to act selfishly and in the process harm others. In this case, the majority of society has to build a moral contract and establish punishments to prevent people from acting individually and from putting society’s well-being at risk. Because society forces that view on us from the moment we are born, we feel the obligation to adhere to society’s values, therefore instilling in us a sense of moral obligation. In this case, it is not the obligation to act in a certain way because it makes us a better person, but rather the obligation to act a certain way to avoid being shunned by society and facing the consequences that have been agreed upon. So, when we act in the “correct” way despite it not bringing us any tangible benefit, are we truly doing so to become better, or because it ensures our survival in a society that praises selfless behavior that benefits a collective unit?
While this view of a world in which free will does not exist makes sense, I cannot say with full conviction that I am convinced. There is part of me that wants to believe in it because of the empowerment and sense of control that that idea gives me. I want to believe that I have the power to shape my life and make the right choices, and the thought that I do not have this makes me feel desperate. There are some philosophers that I have read about that suggest that we are better off believing in free will to not become hopeless, and some that suggest the opposite. It is something I will keep researching
So, does free will exist? I have no idea. I will have to learn more before I can make up my mind.