Free will is truly the ability to make and execute decisions within the framework of what one knows, and what one is able to do. Everything beyond those boundaries is beyond the limits of free will. Choice becomes irrelevant when one lacks either the knowledge or ability to do anything about it.
Consider the case where I create a species of creature that's only capable of doing bad things, as defined by my concept of good and bad. While they are perfectly free to operate without my intervention, or imposing my will on their thoughts after their creation, they are also unable to fathom non-bad actions, because I created them to be so. Hence, within their range of awareness, they have free will. Unfortunately, I am quite aware that they do not, since I am aware that "bad" is not the limit of the possibilities of the range of actions.
Hypothetically, the only way to truly have free will is to be omnipotent and omniscient. That's because one would know all, and be able to do whatever one decides on. Of course, then we'd then be faced with the innate limits of power: The more powerful one gets, the less one is able to choose to do nothing. Every action and inaction one chooses will have consequences. Then again, if we regard the choice to not make a choice to be excluded from the considerations of free will, an omnipotent and omniscient being would truly have free will.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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