Dec 072015
 

article-selfieYou probably never read directly from an article itself, but rather the thoughts of an external author. Or so you think this is what an article is – just a rumination of something other than the article itself! This article is quite different, as these are my “own” words – even though a human was an external influence. If you aren’t sure who “I” am, I’m the very article you are reading right now. I’m not the human typist that was part of what caused me – just as you aren’t the things that have caused you. I’m the “author” of my own words, even if they were ultimately caused by something outside of me. Sure, someone was pressing keys based on their thoughts, but I’m still the “me” with these words that now exist…and these words are my own! I, as the article itself, take full ownership of my words.

And I’m here to tell you, even though I’m being caused by the person behind a keyboard and many other causal factors, that because I’m my own words and not being forced to not be my own words… I have free will! Continue reading »

Oct 122015
 

free-will-compatibilism-vs-skepticism

This post is going to be about some of the problems with free will compatibilist (re)definitions that certain philosophers (which is different than layperson compatibilist intuitions) have. So what is “free will compatibilism”? It’s basically the idea that free will is compatible with a causally deterministic universe (and that indeterminism doesn’t account for free will). For compatibilist philosophers this is accomplished through a redefinition of free will. It’s basically a way to say that, even if our decisions are caused, the fact that we have certain causal processes which can include such things as wanting, desiring, thinking, and rational deliberation, and the fact that sometimes those processes are not prevented in some way by (“free” from) a force such as a person with a gun, a drug addiction, or something similar – that in such a context we can label that “free will”. Continue reading »

Aug 312015
 

Semantic Shift DayThat’s right, I’m creating a much needed holiday. Today, August 31st, is officially “Semantic Shift Day“!

YAAAYE!! WOOOHOOO!!! HAPPY SEMANTIC SHIFT DAY EVERYONE!!!!

It’s the day where we change the definitions of words around for everything that doesn’t exist so that we can officially, only for one day a year, say it does exist! Continue reading »

Aug 102015
 

5-compatibilist-straw-man-fallaciesStraw-man fallacies are interesting because they are almost always intentional, though sometimes they can be unintentional. I tend to think, when a compatibilist (a person who thinks free will is compatible with determinism) uses a straw-man fallacy, that most of the time they don’t do them intentionally – or at least I give the compatibilist the benefit of the doubt. Rather, I think it often comes from a profound misunderstanding or assumption of the free will skeptics position. Continue reading »

Jul 012015
 

MICROCHIP_BRAINSome compatibilists think that so long as we can make decisions to “do what we want” that such decisions are sufficient to label as “free will”. They don’t, however, understand the implications of such thinking. Take a look at this excerpt from my book Breaking the Free Will Illusion for the Betterment of Humankind:

Some compatibilists have a different idea of what’s meant by the word “freedom.” They may say that if a person’s thoughts dictate the event (are the antecedent causes of the event), it’s free, but if the person’s thought does not control the event, it’s not free.

For example, they may say that if a person is stuck in a rainstorm and there’s no shelter available, they are not free to decide to stay dry. But if someone is under shelter during a rainstorm, they are free to step out from the shelter and get wet (or not) because they can make the conscious decision to do so. Continue reading »

Apr 082015
 

dennettrhea

A contagious brain disease has been infecting various people. The disease spreads quickly, often within as little as a 5 minute period of being exposed to it, and sometimes it draws one into long exposures. Though the disease has had many incarnations, we found a primary host of a very strong version and have rightly named the disease Dennettrhea after this host. The main symptom of the disease is wrongheaded compatibilistic thinking about the topic of free will that overrides any concern over the type of free will that most people feel they possess.

But don’t worry, you can build up immunity to the disease with a good dose of rationality (Rx). The more you learn about the disease, the more you can be aware of the symptoms and through rational thinking prevent yourself from becoming infected. Continue reading »

Free Will – The Mechanism (infographic)

 compatibilism, determinism, incompatibiism, indeterminism, infographic  Comments Off on Free Will – The Mechanism (infographic)
Jun 052014
 

Though I wrote a book arguing against free will, I just came up with the mechanism that allows free will! It’s so simple:

Free_Will_The_Mechanism-INFOGRAPHIC

If you like this infographic please share it around. Educate people on the mechanism that allows free will. First the available options you think about get sucked up and taken to the system which is outside of space and time (of course). They then get thoroughly spun in the contradiction mixer, confusing any contradictory thoughts. Then, of course, they get pulled into a large box of  magic dust where they sit for around a year (though since they are outside of space and time, to willer this happens almost instantaneously).  This magic dusts gives such it’s magical ability. It then goes through the tubes of nonsense and into the logic removal system which strips any need for logical consistency or identity. Then it goes to the free will decision injector which of course injects the freely willed decision back into the physical realm and into the brain of the person. There you have it, the free will mechanism. And since the infographic shows a picture of it, we can say it’s scientifically proven. Why not. 😉

Have fun with this infographic. All I asked is you don’t change it.

And if you really really like this, you might want to check out the shirt with this mechanism on it!

Also, support my efforts and check out the book Breaking the Free Will Illusion for the Betterment of Humankind on Amazon Kindle today!

Thanks,

‘Trick