" Daniel C. Dennett, a philosopher and cognitive scientist at Tufts University who has written extensively about free will, said that “when we consider whether free will is an illusion or reality, we are looking into an abyss. What seems to confront us is a plunge into nihilism and despair.” "
Funny -- this plays into an idea that I've been playing with for a little while now.
I throw this out for what it's worth --
"The core difference between the Conservative Mindset and the Liberal, is that Conservatives believe in - and accept - "free will"; Liberals don't."
If he believed that, how could he be capable of writing those words? It's like all those leftists, published in paper, TV, and internet, saying that America stifles their free speech.
Good point.
LOL. . . . So a Calvinist Conservative is a contradiction in terms?
I think a number would protest that conclusion.
Free Will is a Biblical concept to demonstrate that God loves us so much, He will allow us to do what we decide to do, regardless of what He wishes for us. His granting of Free Will is an act of supreme humility and what makes him a loving God instead of a fascist tyrant.
To take a definition out of context, then use the perverted definition to "prove" it doesn't exist is asinine. Of course, most self-named "intellectuals" do tend to be asinine, but their Kool-Aid always seems to find some parched lips...
"The core difference between the Conservative Mindset and the Liberal, is that Conservatives believe in - and accept - "free will"; Liberals don't."
I prefer the explanations given by Thomas Sowell in A Conflict of Visions.
His thesis revolves around the concept of the "constrained" versus the "unconstrained" vision of the world. Conservatives generally accept that there are real constraints--absolute laws of physics, economics, etc, absolute good and evil, etc.--within which a person must function.
Liberals don't think that way, and that all such constraints are arbitrarily imposed by others. In short, they tend to deny/ignore reality and seek to operate in defiance of it.
Liberals accept free will, they just belive the free will of the collective imposed by the government supersedes their personal free will.
"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs". Karl Marx