Given deterministic causality, where every event has a prior cause, it would appear that free will is an illusion.<p>While it may seem like we’re choosing our actions, determinism implies that this is an illusion: if all our actions are determinable from prior causes, then we are just complex machines. There’s no space for free will.<p>But from another point of view, this claim seems absurd. Even if the logic makes sense, the conclusion suggests a mistake. We seem to make all kinds of decisions all the time, and embracing the belief that free will is an illusion would require many social concepts and contracts to be rewritten.<p>This tension can be represented by a spectrum of beliefs:<p>1. Cynics believe free will is a harmful illusion. Because free will is an illusion, we only fool ourselves by embracing it.<p>2. Illusionists believe free will is a useful illusion. Even if it is an illusion, it’s a dangerous one to dispense with. If people didn’t believe they were responsible for their actions, they’d be less likely to behave ethically.<p>3. Compatibilists believe in a limited form of free will. Besides free will, physical causality holds. They believe we have limited control over our decisions, which have limited influence over our lives.<p>4. Idealists believe our will is more than free: it's connected to supernatural forces (e.g. God). They believe we have more control over our decisions and our lives than physical causality can explain.<p>Which do you most identify with?<p>You can reply with a comment, or check a box on this anonymous form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLsVzKlIjFEOP30DD__d8sUP9fSXw9PJsPlyjAMkVhM8w9wg/viewform