Do we have Free Will (my video)

Hello all. Some of you are aware that I make videos for youtube over footage of me playing video games, and time to time I upload individual ones that have to do with subjects I believe the ATS community would possibility enjoy.

This one is a science video I created about the debate on if we have free will or not.

The video contains video-game footage (including video game violence) and spoken word (mine) over a musical beat.

In this video I explain why I do not think we have Free Will and how neuroscience is proving this more and more each year.

From the experiments of Benjamin Libet in the early 80s to the views of Sam Harris from his book "Free Will".

WARNING: The video does have one swear word in it. I try to keep my science vids not vulgar, but I slipped this time and allowed the "S Word" in one verse.

I hope you enjoy this video and ask you to ponder the content deeply. I personally find no evidence of free will in my personal experience and doubt anyone ever does when they look at things analytically.

Hugs!!!

reply to post by Mr Mask


It doesn't matter over my mind because it is my subconscious and why should I distrust it?

I was forced to post this!

ZonedOut
reply to post by Mr Mask

 

It doesn't matter over my mind because it is my subconscious and why should I distrust it?

I was forced to post this!

lol. Hello! First, thank you for leaving a message with a reply that is often given to this subject.

Many think this matter is meaningless since the illusion is so absolute that it appears to be free will, thus it means nothing to know if its true or not, including the famous mathematician Lawrence Krauss.

But the point of the matter is that of an ethical standpoint.

If people are forced to make choices (good ones or bad) then they are truly victims of a system they have no choice in.

This leads us to questioning the ethics of our law system and punishment systems.

If a killer has no choice but to kill, surely he/she must be contained, but to what degree should he/she be punished?

If people are forced to obey molecular-based impulses, than can we truly blame them for what they have done?

These are serious issues in philosophy and science today. And very large minds are debating it feverishly right now.

Thanks for posting. Hugs!

MM

reply to post by Mr Mask


You're welcome!

I agree that it matters not but I disagree that the illusion is total ... there is a way out of it!

Me, as the conscious observer REFLECTS upon what I, as the subconscious have chosen, and that feeds back upon itself and hence there IS experience! There is no need to raise the specter of doubt of who is in control for it is but Myself at the center!

Descartes leads the way to freedom here! Upon reflecting truly upon my trapped existential state of being I am forced to realize that its is Me that creates that state of being. "I think, therefor I am!"

The subconscious learns from the conscious observer!

Mirror, mirror on the wall! Who is the fairest of them all?

Loving your work Mr Mask. You seem to have a habit of making videos on subjects I have a current interest in. I've been watching Sam Harris lectures for the last week and contemplating the notions of free will and determinism. I understand it can be an uncomfortable notion for some and can be hard to get ones head around. I don't really know how I feel about it myself.

In a way it's quite liberating to look at the scenario as one being the ship and not being controlled by the wake left behind. The wake doesn't drive the ship as it eventually fades away like memories.

ZonedOut
reply to post by Mr Mask

 

It doesn't matter over my mind because it is my subconscious and why should I distrust it?

I was forced to post this!

Or maybe you wanted the first post in a new decent thread for a chance to earn a few quick easy stars? People are usually in denial about why, or why they don't do things because the Ego is funny like that - like's to keep us in denial.

Free will doesn't mean what people think it means anyways or at least that's what I believe. I already covered a thread on it and don't feel like talking about it again. Free will is having two choices. To allow your 'Ego' to choose your actions or to allow your 'self' (Christlike conciousness) and between the two many actions can exist.

It's your choice whether you choose to follow your Ego, make a lot of mistakes while you're at it or you can choose to follow the Self instead of the Ego and do what's right.

OP why are you playing MW2 and not Ghosts? Ghosts is the best

reply to post by TheProphetMark


Thank you for using my post to highlight that pride comes before the fall and yes my ego was also invested in posting after all If I am God, sovereign and divine in spirit, reflexively and reflectively self causal via simply thinking that I am, then why should I not partake of the fruits of my own creation?

In other words if my ego follows my subconscious desires and I reflect upon the outcome of such I will learn much about my very own nature whereas if I constantly deny myself life wont be worth living much!

Which reward grants the most benefit! Methinks it is the one where I gain instead of lose.

To lose would deny both myself and God! Surely such an outcome would be disrespectfully blasphemous and a grievious afront to all creation.

reply to post by Mr Mask


Of course, you seem to have free will. Just as when you walk into WallyWorld to buy toothpaste. You chose one brand that you seem to like, pay the price and go home, happy with your purchase in every regard.

But there is no such thing as "free will." It is an old philosophical term, long proven false, as the understanding about the human brain and its conditioning became recognized.

Aspects of biology and social/cultural conditioning determine the who/what of you. You would be more correct to call it a "free latitude" to operate within given and learned areas of those variables. What you think is determined from how you think.

reply to post by Mr Mask


"Do we have Free Will"

I certainly had the free will to close out the video as soon as the ad came on.

... anything further is simply conjecture.

reply to post by Mr Mask


To more directly address and answer the ethical issue, we don't have to worry about that on two fronts!

1] Because as I showed above the situation does involve an active actor in the subconscious who also observes and is affected by that very observation that occurs consciously and so there is no need to abrogate the responsibility of the individual from the crime.

And ...

2] Because punishment already exists and is a natural part of existence via cause and effect we don't need to assess that as bad because in reality it is just wild and we can then opt for a less wild alternative after reflecting upon just how wild our decisions were.

Wild = life is short savage and brutal and that's an all around loss!

Less wild = More civilized! Gains can be made here contractually between subconsciousness's and that is called an agreed reality!

Which one will would ones subconscious choose is all that matters to whether ones attitude is positive or negative in direction and the outcomes that follow from that are also self evident and only natural!

Ultimately criminals don't tend to learn from their mistakes and my proof is the high rate of repeat offenders returning to prisons and this is because they do not reflect upon their actions in disregarding their contractual duties as a citizen in polite civilized society in a positive light and the negative reflections create a hell for them and their creation. 3 strikes and you're out rule seems to be a wise reflexive response to that, however that just creates a financial whirlpool of misery and societal decay when maybe it is better to be more ruthless and simply cut the cancer out with death penalty for 3rd time offenders.

Sometimes you just have to put a rabid dog down ... doesn't mean you hate them ... look at old yeller!

May justice be tempered by mercy when and where required and not one iota more than that.

woodwardjnr
Loving your work Mr Mask. You seem to have a habit of making videos on subjects I have a current interest in. I've been watching Sam Harris lectures for the last week and contemplating the notions of free will and determinism. I understand it can be an uncomfortable notion for some and can be hard to get ones head around. I don't really know how I feel about it myself.

In a way it's quite liberating to look at the scenario as one being the ship and not being controlled by the wake left behind. The wake doesn't drive the ship as it eventually fades away like memories.

Dude, thanks so much for digging this video. I'm so glad you are currently looking into these studies and theories. They are some of my favorites by far. Sam Harris is surely my favorite of the Four Horsemen, and I find his work and words to be very interesting, but I also find his beliefs and nature to be refreshing and sincere. I like the guy as a person and when he speaks he is always thoughtful and polite, even in jest.

Thanks for leaving the words you did, and I personally like your line on the wake not driving the ship, as it slowly fades behind our moments as we drift forward in time.

Big hugs bro, and thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

MM

reply to post by Mr Mask


Do we have free will?

Yes.

Good work! I have been interested in this area recently and watched the Sam Harris lecture a while ago. I have to say I totally agree with everything you say. Every decision we make is already pre-determined according to genetic factors, past experiences and environment. I think it's really hard for people to accept as the way we as a society have always viewed and treated right and wrong, reward and punishment etc.... is based on the premise of freewill.

TheProphetMark

It's your choice whether you choose to follow your Ego, make a lot of mistakes while you're at it or you can choose to follow the Self instead of the Ego and do what's right.

Though I personally love speaking with and enjoying the company of Christians, I can not accept what I can not have evidence of. I would need evidence of free will and/or "real choice" before I could subscribe to such notions.

It is accepted by many physicists and neuroscientists that there is absolutely no room for free will and that the concept is outside reality as we know it, and better explained by simpler laws of physics within an overly complex machine.

Not saying you are wrong…simply saying I can not see how you can be right. I see no free will in a single choice or thought of my personal experience. Not even a hint of it.

OP why are you playing MW2 and not Ghosts? Ghosts is the best

Its MW3…lol. And Ghosts is horrible. It has been called the biggest video game failure by some of the biggest names in video game reviewing, and has one of the lowest acceptance rates by players in the history of the franchise. I bought a copy…and gave it away for free. The guy I gave it to…also gave it away for free lol. True story.

Hugs bro, and tho we don't seem to agree, its a wonderful thing to be sharing a universe with the ability to discuss and wonder together. Thanks for commenting bro.

MM

reply to post by Mr Mask


One thing that I do not understand is, why are people separating themselves from their sub-conscious mind and then declaring that they have no free-will? You ARE your sub-conscious mind along with your body and your conscious-mind. The decisions are already determined by the more 'deeper' part of who you are, and then your conscious mind fight over the details with thoughts.

In some spiritual circles, they'll say that this is "The Higher Self" or "The Spirit" making the decisions while the mind and body do not understand it so it makes excuses to the choice to feel in control.

Aliensun
reply to post by Mr Mask

 

Of course, you seem to have free will. Just as when you walk into WallyWorld to buy toothpaste. You chose one brand that you seem to like, pay the price and go home, happy with your purchase in every regard.

But there is no such thing as "free will." It is an old philosophical term, long proven false, as the understanding about the human brain and its conditioning became recognized.

Aspects of biology and social/cultural conditioning determine the who/what of you. You would be more correct to call it a "free latitude" to operate within given and learned areas of those variables. What you think is determined from how you think.

I agree with everything you said here accept for where you say "free will" has long been proven false and it only exists as an old philosophical term. In the "sport and sort" of the sense, I agree with you and so do many in science (as you are obviously aware of), but there are also many who will argue with you that there is still hope for free will yet (as in quantum uncertainty or Compatibilism).

But that is all semantics…and the thing I simply want to say to you most is- I agree with you. You put it all eloquently, and yes, free will is most likely impossible by the physical laws as they govern reality.

Free will would be akin to magic.

Thanks so much for leaving a comment here. I enjoyed it a lot and always enjoy seeing someone knows his stuff. You obviously do.

MM

Hey bro came in to let you know I bumped ya on youtube and liked your work alot hope your channel continues to grow and you take on bigger and bigger projects, keep it up broski

Perhaps
reply to post by Mr Mask

 

"Do we have Free Will"

I certainly had the free will to close out the video as soon as the ad came on.

... anything further is simply conjecture.

Though I will not apologize for the ads (since they do help support my family and channel) I will say I am sorry your mind didn't give you the ability to suffer the few moments it would take for you to watch one before seeing a video that took me about 4 weeks create.

Hey…I guess we all have to weigh what is worth our time.

Hey, at least you had the time to leave this comment! Right? that's something!

Thanks for the hard work! Hugs bro!

EDITED TO ADD: To be honest…physics goes a long way to say you are actually wrong. "You" didn't have the free will to close the video at the sight of an add. But then again, you didn't watch the vid to know why that is so. Oh well. Hugs bro!

MM

bitsforbytes
reply to post by Mr Mask

 

Do we have free will?

Yes.

Most folks who answer so simply have no weighed the evidence directly showing such an answer is a weak fallacy.

Physics laughs at the idea of free will, and those who defend its existence usually drift into realms of the paranormal or philosophical branches that can not support the real weight of the issue.

You haphazardly answer yes…where as some of the brightest and most proclaimed minds within science say "undoubtedly no".

I know their reasons why they answer such…I do not know your reasons.

Do you have any? I mean that seriously and without a sly bone in the question.

MM

reply to post by Mr Mask


I'm pretty sure I've seen your vid before yet it says you uploaded it today.. Weird.

Anyways, S&F