Adapted from a conversation I had with someone else sometime go elsewhere on the internet. I'm not sure that free will is as
powerful as people suggest. I have found that people are limited to a set of possible choices dictated by their nature. To do something out of character, or out of line with my nature, is inherently impossible as then that would violate the idea of me having a nature contrary to it. As for choices, I do not see them as inherently the same as free will. We can choose to resist or accept
something, however those choices are still within the scope of human nature, and as history has shown, human nature always win out in the end. I think that determinism comes into effect by how we are always bound by a set pathology and temperament, the way our minds work. In a sense then, "free will" is limited at best, and merely a semantic for going with the choice out of a list of options most in tune with our nature at worse. Also, I should note that physics has proven determinism, in the sense that Issac Newton and many physics since him though of it, is impossible due to the Uncertainty Principle (having to do with the speeds and positions of sub- atomic particles). However this may be inconsequential to a macroscopic scale. Nature limits me. Mental and emotional limits are just as real as physical limits. Some physical limits we can overcome, and so it is the same with mental and emotional limits. This is part of my path, to break these limits. However I am still working within the range of a given nature. The same heart that hates can love, just as the same hands that create can destroy. If a human does something, by definition that is part of human nature. This is a truism. Human nature is what a human can or will eventually do. To say that someone did something out of their nature, is a contradiction if the concept of human nature exists in the first place because then that proves that it was within the realm of possibility to begin with. Otherwise it wouldn't of happened.

Most of the regulars would have done this a lot already, I think. Even I have

www.nairaland.com/1012011/freewill-determinism

wiegraf: Most of the regulars would have done this a lot already, I think. Even I have

www.nairaland.com/1012011/freewill-determinism

Well it was not so deep..Mind if we pursue a fresh discuss?

mkmyers45: Well it was not so deep..Mind if we pursue a fresh discuss?

Why not?

mkmyers45: Adapted from a conversation I had with someone else sometime go elsewhere on the internet. I'm not sure that free will is as
powerful as people suggest. I have found that people are limited to a set of possible choices dictated by their nature. To do something out of character, or out of line with my nature, is inherently impossible as then that would violate the idea of me having a nature contrary to it. As for choices, I do not see them as inherently the same as free will. We can choose to resist or accept
something, however those choices are still within the scope of human nature, and as history has shown, human nature always win out in the end. I think that determinism comes into effect by how we are always bound by a set pathology and temperament, the way our minds work. In a sense then, "free will" is limited at best, and merely a semantic for going with the choice out of a list of options most in tune with our nature at worse. Also, I should note that physics has proven determinism, in the sense that Issac Newton and many physics since him though of it, is impossible due to the Uncertainty Principle (having to do with the speeds and positions of sub- atomic particles). However this may be inconsequential to a macroscopic scale. Nature limits me. Mental and emotional limits are just as real as physical limits. Some physical limits we can overcome, and so it is the same with mental and emotional limits. This is part of my path, to break these limits. However I am still working within the range of a given nature. The same heart that hates can love, just as the same hands that create can destroy. If a human does something, by definition that is part of human nature. This is a truism. Human nature is what a human can or will eventually do. To say that someone did something out of their nature, is a contradiction if the concept of human nature exists in the first place because then that proves that it was within the realm of possibility to begin with. Otherwise it wouldn't of happened.

This is interesting topic, and a tough one too. There are just too many ways to approach this topic and in doing so one might run in circles and eventually contradict oneself.
Let me attempt.

We all, I assume, know ourselves, our values, our propensities and our comfort zones. It is my belief, that these are inbuilt, part of our DNA. I like to call it one's mental or spiritual octave. That, to me , is what is defined as ones nature.

Unfortunately,In most of our lives , we go against our basic nature. We do things that contradict our nature, and thus, our lives remain forever unfulfilled.

Going against one's nature is usually not deliberate. One's culture, parental influence, religion, friends and the environment exert considerable pressure to be this or that and to do this and that.

If for example, one is born with an artistic talent,but your father wants you to be a lawyer simply because he is a successful lawyer, you may spend your entire life in a vocation that you where not emotionally suited for even if you turned out to a very successful lawyer.

In Nigeria, many many people never get to study what they dreamed to study because many would settle with whatever courses the almighty Jamb is merciful enough to grant them an entry to a university.
Also in Nigeria, many people are studying banking simply because it is one of the few areas that can offer lucrative employment.

The point being that, living outside of ones natural comfort zone tends to bring one into conflict with ones basic nature.
Everyone, I believe, has a pre-determined, hardwired purpose in life.
Pre-determined purpose, not pre-determined outcome.

Very few actually understand or come to terms with such pre-determined purpose. Some fullfill or come close to their purpose simply by serendipity.
It is self-fulfillment that moves human progress. It is how we evolve, everyone contributing a little piece of their given talent to humanity.

Personally, I have done a lot of things that were against my basic nature, and on each time, the results were always the same: Loss, disappointment, regret, regression.

As an analogy, consider one's life to be a tree. The bark of the tree, rising ever higher to the sky, represents pre-determined purpose and the branches representing the many choices that is available to one to make. each choice takes you in a different direction that opens up more choices along the way.

So, Man know thyself.

^^
Pondering human nature in the manner of the op is, like you imply, challenging. So I just want to as some technical questions here.
Is it possible to be unaware of the purpose? I'm guessing you conclude yes?
Can you influence the path you choose on the way to the purpose? Again I'm guessing you imply yes, but only to a certain degree.
Is the purpose set in stone?

wiegraf: ^^
Pondering human nature in the manner of the op is, like you imply, challenging. So I just want to as some technical questions here.
Is it possible to be unaware of the purpose? I'm guessing you conclude yes?
Can you influence the path you choose on the way to the purpose? Again I'm guessing you imply yes, but only to a certain degree.
Is the purpose set in stone?

Even tougher questions.

I dont know if "set in stone" is the right word.
Lets just say hardwired, receptive to certain impulses and rejection or indifferent to others.

plaetton: [/b]

Even tougher questions.

I dont know if "set in stone" is the right word.
Lets just say hardwired, receptive to certain impulses and rejection or indifferent to others.

Care to expanciate?

Again, let me try.
We all see ourselves mysteriously drawn to certain things, certain phenomena, certain philosophies, certain vocations, certain kind of people and ideals.
Most times our environment may tend to obscure these tendencies until we are able to unshackle the restraints of our environments.

By the same token, we tend to have a natural indifference or negative dispositon towards certain phenomena, vocations, philosophies, etc.

For example, I have too often seen few-days old toddlers showing a preference for certain types and flavours of food while rejecting others. I always ask my self, who told them that they had choices in the first place?

Our inclination towards certain things would inevitably influence us to make certain choices that lead us in certain directions.