Dr. Robert Forum

When contemplating Differential's first post about how there is no free will, I began to see things from this other perspective Dr. Robert talked about. I began to see there's no point in getting involved in the mind or trying to control life because it's all happening anyway without interfering.

But I didn't completely process all of this new info and I've since lost this other perspective. Now I feel very involved, instead of the source of actions being external. For example, I have to monitor the constant decision-making process in my thoughts to make sure the thoughts are decided properly. Even though I know my past experiences influence my decisions and I can't predict my next thought or control my preferences, I still feel like I'm in control, instead of how Differential put it, as printer paper not being responsible for what's printed on it. I noticed when this other perspective was wearing out, it was when I began thinking about my plans for the day. So my belief in free will probably lies within there somewhere.

Another part that really gets me is this: Curiosity and critical thinking, analyzing our situation and coming to different conclusions and responding in a new way. This ability to think freshly seems so free, I'm not sure how it would be entirely externally caused. It seems there is a part of the psyche or brain that controls life. But the fact that there is a decision-making process and what ultimately tips the decision-making scale isn't under control. So it's like decisions or control happens as a natural functioning of the brain, but it's just another part of the causal web, and not free like we take it to be at face value.

I'm really curious about this. Anybody else have any input?