As far as modern science is concerned, the mechanisms governing the brain are large enough that they behave deterministically. Humans naturally lack free will on their own
However, since the discovery of quantum mechanics and the inherent randomness of the subatomic scale, we humans have been able to access what we believe to be truly random processes. If this is indeed the case, does that mean any decisions humans make which are influenced by such small-scale phenomenon are an expression of free will?
For example, if I decided I wanted a coffee it would not be free will, but if I had an electron in a superposition of spin states and decided whether or not I would have a coffee based on what spin state I detected, would that be an expression of free will?
Pic unrelated
Julian Martinez
>only according to modern science >not using a cross-section of science and philosophy because they work well with each other op fell for the STEM meme
Samuel Diaz
I guess I'll wipe my tears off on my wad of hundred dollar bills. Don't worry, I get a thousand of those a year
Liam Gray
>2916 >not being the main project coordinator and philosophical guidance of a group of scientists, getting paid 186k per year to essentially bullshit
Tyler Rodriguez
Quantum physics means shitall for free will since neurons (responsible for our decisions, etc) are millions of orders of magnitude beyond quantum levels, meaning they barely have any uncertainty that, say electrons or protons would have. Biological processes are random to some degree but the chances of that randomness affecting our thoughts or actions is extremely small, meaning for practical predictions we could just forget about quantum randomness (say, if we developed a super computer that recreates a brain's structure.)
Wyatt Bell
S A V A G E
Caleb Williams
>science
stopped reading there
Kayden Collins
He's asking whether it would be free will if he used spin detection as a coinflip.
It would be a decision to follow the outcome of a coinflip. Whether or not that coin is macroscopic or infinitesimal, it is still what it is. Furthermore, you clearly suck at physics and/or metaphysics if you think quantum mechanics is cosmically non-deterministic. The spin was always going to be what it turned out to be. You simply learned that fact at the moment the wave collapsed. Why would our potential ability or inability to predict a spin state have any effect on reality?
Zachary Gonzalez
Probably already been said, but no OP. Randomness does not give free will. If my some electrons do some random shit and suddenly I decide to have tea instead of coffee, it doesn't mean I chose it free. It simply means I was determined in this case by a random phenomenon rather than a causal one. The fact that I am determined still remains intact (btw, not arguing we are determined, just saying your logic doesn't hold up).
