Determinism: Difference between revisions
→Conclusion
| Line 114: | Line 114: | ||
That implies that the patient’s choices were determined by subconscious processes in the brain, which acted independently from conscious reasoning, aligning with the deterministic idea that our actions may be governed by neural mechanisms beyond our awareness, rather than by actual free will. | That implies that the patient’s choices were determined by subconscious processes in the brain, which acted independently from conscious reasoning, aligning with the deterministic idea that our actions may be governed by neural mechanisms beyond our awareness, rather than by actual free will. | ||
The fact that the patient's brain generated such a confident yet incorrect justification for his choice, raises significant doubts about whether we can trust our sense of free will, or whether it is merely a [https://kspope.com/fallacies/fallacies.php#:~:text=Ad%20Hoc%20Rationalization,hypothesis%2C%20findings%2C%20or%20conclusion. post hoc rationalization] for us to feel in control of our actions. | The fact that the patient's brain generated such a confident yet incorrect justification for his choice, raises significant doubts about whether we can trust our sense of free will, or whether it is merely a [https://kspope.com/fallacies/fallacies.php#:~:text=Ad%20Hoc%20Rationalization,hypothesis%2C%20findings%2C%20or%20conclusion. post hoc rationalization] for us to feel in control of our actions. This also shows that our brains are capable of giving us an illusion of us having control over our actions. | ||
The experiment results can also be seen as a question about [[consciousness]]: Who is really making the decisions in our brains? To answer the question of whether human choice is deterministic, one has to also clear whether an unawareness of choice fully negates the idea of free will or not. | The experiment results can also be seen as a question about [[consciousness]]: Who is really making the decisions in our brains? To answer the question of whether human choice is deterministic, one has to also clear whether an unawareness of choice fully negates the idea of free will or not. | ||
| Line 200: | Line 200: | ||
== '''Conclusion''' == | == '''Conclusion''' == | ||
To analyze the question of determinism and free will, this paper has explored | To analyze the question of determinism and free will, this paper has explored different perspectives including classical philosophy, modern neuroscience and quantum mechanics, also examining the impacts determinism would have on the concept of information and knowledge. | ||
Shannon's definition of information, as it was concluded, would remain meaningful in a deterministic world, despite a potentially reduced informative content, because all predetermined events would still remain surprising to the reciever of the information if he was unable to predict it correctly, as it would practically often be the case. | |||
If we instead apply Bateson's definition of information, the definition would either remain correct in a deterministic world or would contradict it, depending on how Bateson's definition is interpreted. | |||
When it comes to knowlege, it became clear that determinism would make the process of obtaining knowledge just another event caused by the causal chain of events, minimizing our independence and freedom of arriving to knowledge. | |||
By reviewing some of the main thinkers throughout human history like Newton, Hume, Kant, and James, we have seen that the concept of determinism poses questions about moral responsibility, ethics, and the nature of human agency. While some philosophers, such as Hume, proposed that free will and determinism can coexist (compatibilism), others like Kant argued that free will is necessary for moral judgment and responsibility. | By reviewing some of the main thinkers throughout human history like Newton, Hume, Kant, and James, we have seen that the concept of determinism poses questions about moral responsibility, ethics, and the nature of human agency. While some philosophers, such as Hume, proposed that free will and determinism can coexist (compatibilism), others like Kant argued that free will is necessary for moral judgment and responsibility. | ||
The insights from neuroscience, such as Libet’s studies and Sperry's and Gazzaniga's split brain experiments, challenge the idea of free will by suggesting that decisions may be determined by subconscious processes in the brain. | The insights from neuroscience, such as Libet’s studies and Sperry's and Gazzaniga's split brain experiments, challenge the idea of free will by suggesting that decisions may be determined by subconscious processes in the brain, out of our conscious control, and also that the brain is capable of giving us an illusion of control. If determinism holds true, our actions, beliefs, and decisions could be the result of a complex web of causal chains, leaving us to question the authenticity of our choices. | ||
Opposingly, the double slit experiment conducted in the field of quantum mechanics has introduced the idea of indeterminism, as particles at the quantum level seem to contradict the classical deterministic expectations, instead operating probabilistically. | |||
Also, we showed that the definiton of logical determinism doesn't hold true for all statements, because, for example, certain liar's paradox statements cannot be assigned one truth value. | |||
Despite these varied perspectives, it remains clear, that the nature of human freedom and responsibility may not be as straightforward as it initially | Despite these varied perspectives, it remains clear, that the nature of human freedom and responsibility may not be as straightforward as it may initially seem. | ||
Ultimately, | Ultimately, the nature of human freedom and responsibility may not be as straightforward as it may initially seem, and the question of determinism and free will, may remain open, provoking a never ending debate throughout various disciplines. | ||
== '''References''' == | == '''References''' == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||