Comments on: If you are exposed to arguments that there is no free will, you’ll be more likely to cheat http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/05/29/if-you-are-exposed-to-arguments-that-there-is-no-free-will-you%e2%80%99ll-be-more-likely-to-cheat/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:27:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Erika Price http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/05/29/if-you-are-exposed-to-arguments-that-there-is-no-free-will-you%e2%80%99ll-be-more-likely-to-cheat/#comment-18954 Erika Price Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:19:38 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2690#comment-18954 I see a LOT of parallels between belief in free will and belief in God. Both have little evidence to support any notion of their existence, but of course cannot be disproved outright. People want to believe in both things, claim both beliefs give them comfort, and claim that a foundation of such beliefs leads to better behavior. And both are pretty empty, hard-to-define concepts that <i>feel</i> good, so people don't want to give up their belief in them. I have similar feelings for both free will and God. I'm ignostic for both of them- they are unknowable, meaningless questions. But they sure mean a hell of a lot to most everyone else. I think there's a separate post on the topic in here somewhere, I just need to tease it out a bit... I see a LOT of parallels between belief in free will and belief in God. Both have little evidence to support any notion of their existence, but of course cannot be disproved outright. People want to believe in both things, claim both beliefs give them comfort, and claim that a foundation of such beliefs leads to better behavior. And both are pretty empty, hard-to-define concepts that feel good, so people don’t want to give up their belief in them.

I have similar feelings for both free will and God. I’m ignostic for both of them- they are unknowable, meaningless questions. But they sure mean a hell of a lot to most everyone else. I think there’s a separate post on the topic in here somewhere, I just need to tease it out a bit…

]]> By: Ben http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/05/29/if-you-are-exposed-to-arguments-that-there-is-no-free-will-you%e2%80%99ll-be-more-likely-to-cheat/#comment-18910 Ben Fri, 30 May 2008 14:44:59 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2690#comment-18910 i didnt realize that there was a valid argument against free will. (dropped out of philosophy 101). i took a peek at the link at the bottom, wild stuff there indeed. the word introspective comes to mind. i didnt realize that there was a valid argument against free will. (dropped out of philosophy 101). i took a peek at the link at the bottom, wild stuff there indeed. the word introspective comes to mind.

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