January 26, 2005
-
FREE WILL
The concept of Free Will and debates over its validity are ancient ideas but very important in a religious context. Free Will, the concept that humans have the God Given Right to make their own moral decisions seems to conflict with the idea of an all-powerful, all-knowing Deity and philosophers have never manage to reconcile the conflict to the general satisfaction.
Our Western Civilization, with its emphasis on the individual and individual rights tends to encourage the concept and extend the idea to individual freedom and liberty in all areas but the question remains, do we truly have free will?
Our ability to actually do anything is obviously restricted by our moral training, physical abilities, and social and economic situation. The one area where our ability is not much restricted is in our perception of and attitude toward a situation which calls for a choice.
A long time ago, Epictetus summed it up pretty well:
1.The proper conduct of life lies in learning to distinguish what does and does not lie within our power.
2.What lies within our power is our will and inner purpose. Nothing external can force us to act against our will. If we submit, we have willed to submit.
3.The rationality of man is the God within him. Following reason, man senses his position as a member of his nation, and of the true city of God(s) and men.He also recognizes the pointlessness of depending upon any external thing.
4.He will simply try to understand the reality in which he finds himself, setting up in his own mind an order of ideas corresponding to the order of nature, for the thought of God directs the universe and it is our part to accept what happens with intelligence.
Epictetus' Stoic philosophy had the concept of the individual's will as the central part of his definition of the proper conduct of your life. Though he is not much thought of today, after eighteen hundred years, his ideas still seem to be applicable.
Acceptance of responsibility after carefully and rationally examining your thoughts and actions is really what Free Will is all about.
Comments (4)
that is a very good point you have made today. I have struggled with the free will concept and God, it's one of my sticking points sometimes in my christianity. I wonder if "god" gives us free will, but then also knows what is going to happen, then is he directing us? I don't know. I like what Epictetus says. But what you said at the end is the troubling part of our society, Acceptance of responsibility, to me it seems people want their free will, but they don't want the responsibility that goes with it. It seems no one seems to take responsibility of their actions, it's always someone elses fault, there is always someone that can be sued. thanks for making me think.
CHECK OUT MY SITE!
I like this Epictetus fellow. I like this post as well, it's pretty good. And so far, I like what you've got to say as well. Keep it up. (Yeah, I know I'm late and stuff, but at least there's not statute of limitations on comments
)
Fantastic article post.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.