From: mk_thisisit
The idea that free will does not exist suggests profound implications for how humanity understands itself, morality, and justice. This perspective posits that humans are biological machines, and their actions are the deterministic outcome of countless preceding factors, leaving no room for uncaused agency [00:00:00].
Humans as Biological Machines
The fundamental premise is that humans are complex biological machines [00:00:30], [00:01:50]. This means every action, thought, and intention is the result of a vast interplay of factors beyond individual control [00:02:02], including:
- Biological History: An individual is the sum of their biological history [00:00:03], including genetic predispositions, hormonal levels, and brain chemistry [00:03:56], [00:08:52].
- Environmental Interactions: This includes immediate sensory stimuli [00:03:50], experiences (such as trauma, falling in love, depression) [00:04:06], puberty [00:04:17], childhood [00:04:21], and fetal life [00:04:24].
- Culture and Evolution: Ancestral culture and the ecosystems in which culture was created, as well as the evolution of the species, all contribute to who a person becomes [00:04:24].
The combination of all these factors, from a second ago to a million years ago, suggests there is no room for freedom of action, meaning freedom from what happened before [00:04:41]. We are what happened earlier, and we had no influence on it [00:13:34]. Daily biological interventions, such as drinking coffee, demonstrate how easily brain function and behavior are influenced [00:25:07].
Implications for Justice and Society
If free will does not exist, significant changes are implied for legal, moral, and ethical systems:
Punishment and Blame
Blaming or punishing a person for anything does not make sense [00:00:10], [00:05:03]. This extends to praising or rewarding, as thinking someone “deserved” or “worked for” something is equally senseless [00:05:12]. Being a “saint” or a “criminal” is merely the result of previous events and coincidences over which individuals had no influence [00:05:30].
Prison System
The concept of prison, as a form of punishment, becomes nonsensical [00:00:19], [00:05:47]. Instead of punishment, society should focus on protecting itself from dangerous individuals, similar to how one protects people from a car with faulty brakes [00:06:32]. A dangerous person is like a car with faulty brakes – they are dangerous, but not “evil” [00:06:49]. The focus should be on limiting their capacity to harm or “repairing” their behavior [00:07:00].
The IQ and Death Penalty Argument
Some states prohibit the execution of individuals with an IQ below 70 [00:00:24], [00:09:31]. This implies that such individuals are not guilty because their brains were not capable of distinguishing good from evil [00:09:41]. The logical inconsistency arises if an IQ of 71 then suddenly confers full responsibility [00:09:50]. This rule highlights that in cases of obvious brain damage or developmental issues (like fetal alcohol syndrome), society acknowledges a lack of control over behavior [00:10:02], [00:11:25]. The argument is that this lack of control applies to everyone, though it’s harder to see in less obvious cases [00:10:29].
Meritocracy and Social Standing
The belief that people “deserve” their status or success is challenged. A person’s path, whether to a prestigious university or prison, can be predicted with high probability based on their early life circumstances, genetics, and environment [00:12:44]. Factors like parental support, exposure to stress, or access to education profoundly shape an individual, none of which they chose [00:13:00].
What Makes Us Human Without Free Will?
If humans lack free will, what distinguishes them? Humans are biological machines that are aware of this fact [00:02:44]. They are primates who know they will die [00:02:47], mammals capable of feeling pain [00:02:51], and animals, albeit “very peculiar” ones [00:02:57].
Humans are distinct because they are the most sophisticated machines, made of the same ingredients as other life forms, but with an exceptionally large number of neurons [00:20:50], [00:22:12]. The human brain’s complexity allows for philosophy, opera, and self-awareness [00:23:08].
Addressing Counterarguments
Quantum Uncertainty and Chaos
Some might suggest that quantum uncertainty or the butterfly effect (chaos) could provide a basis for free will [00:00:46], [00:26:24]. However, this view is countered:
- Scale Mismatch: For a quantum event to affect a single neuron, it would require a magnitude of 23 orders up, which is mathematically impossible for collective events to consistently affect behavior [00:27:32].
- Randomness vs. Agency: Even if quantum events could influence behavior, they would create random actions, not the purposeful, moral behavior typically associated with free will [00:28:25].
- Unpredictability vs. Determinism: The butterfly effect and chaos theory demonstrate unpredictability due to sensitive dependence on initial conditions, but this does not equate to a lack of determinism [00:31:37], [00:32:36]. A chaotic system’s nature is still deterministic [00:42:11].
Consciousness
The relationship between free will and human consciousness is deemed non-existent [00:32:54]. Proponents of free will often mistakenly believe that conscious actions are an expression of free will [00:32:58]. However, conscious or unconscious, the same biological mechanisms underlie behavior [00:33:12]. While humans have a nervous system that can create consciousness, this does not imply free will [00:33:27].
Societal Acceptance and Historical Precedents
It is acknowledged that full societal acceptance of the absence of free will is unlikely, and even proponents find it difficult to always act as if judgments or meritocracy make no sense [00:34:33].
However, historical shifts in understanding offer a precedent:
- Witch Hunts: Society once believed witches could control weather and punished them [00:35:11]. When it was understood that storms were not caused by human agency, the world became happier [00:35:28].
- Epilepsy: People with epileptic seizures were once thought to be possessed by demons [00:35:50]. Understanding epilepsy as a neurological disorder with a biological basis [00:36:01] led to better treatment and a more humane society [00:36:27].
- Dyslexia: Children struggling to read were once labeled stupid or lazy [00:37:11]. Recognizing dyslexia as a neurodevelopmental difficulty [00:36:48] allowed for better teaching methods and prevented children from internalizing harmful beliefs about themselves [00:37:53].
- Slavery: 400 years ago, slavery was widely accepted, even considered good [00:38:48]. Today, slavery is universally condemned [00:39:49], demonstrating humanity’s capacity to evolve its moral understanding [00:39:02].
Each time society acknowledged a lack of free will or individual fault in certain areas, the world became a better place [00:38:11].
Conclusion
The philosophical implication of the absence of free will is a radical re-evaluation of human nature and societal structures. It suggests a move from moralistic judgment to a more compassionate, understanding, and protective approach to human behavior, recognizing that individuals are products of their biology and environment, not independent agents [00:41:05]. This view maintains that as understanding of biological mechanisms grows, the world will continue to improve [00:39:30].