Comments for A Natural Philosophy

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by aforcier

aforcier — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:04:08 +0000

John, it is very illuminating to feel our mind… working. And I hope that you do get to read my book.

… and the heart of the universe… is the same as your heart. the very same!

Thank you for all your comments.

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by John

John — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:19:06 +0000

Want to know something a little funny, a little queer, Albert? It seems that a lot of times when I set off on these thought excursions, they seem to bend toward the heart of the universe. Like a gravity, stroke by stroke pulling my reasoning towards events like the Big Bang. Singularities. Indeed, what does lie within the heart of the Universe. I imagine that however difficult it is to gaze into the heart of the Universe, it is equally difficult to gaze into the heart of ourselves.

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by John

John — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:08:11 +0000

Albert, yes, I think you are catching my drift.

I sometimes wonder about the connections between the mind and the body. How much control does the mind have over the body? What is it that tells my arm to lift, or my mouth to open, or my hand to squeeze?

I thank you for the brief and open conversation on free will Albert. I am looking forward to cracking your book open and exploring your thoughts on these subjects.

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by aforcier

aforcier — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:27:30 +0000

If you mean what you are asking, clever John, you know the answer. (The depth of which reaches the heart of the universe.)

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by john

john — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:32:28 +0000

i guess my point with this little thought experiment is this:

What does it mean when your own free will is appropriated by your self? If i tell myself that i WILL take an action. Shouldn’t there be a level of confidence that it will be done. Does it really mean anything to tell yourself to do something?

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by aforcier

aforcier — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 07:35:31 +0000

John… Lets assume for a moment that the “will” is a person’s capacity to “flow” life. The more you are the author of this flow… in control, in charge, (conscious)… the more you have free will. But this freedom can be lost, can be appropriated by others, can be expropriated, turned over to the life/will of others.

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by John

John — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:53:16 +0000

I understand free will to be the ability to make conscious decisions in ones life.

If I choose to pick up an pencil in front of me, I am exerting a measure of free will.

Whether or not free will exists or not is a whole other can of worms, I understand that.

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by aforcier

aforcier — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 23:35:11 +0000

John…Ok.I’m going to turn this thing up-side-down.(So that I may better understand your question) What do you mean by free-will?

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by John

John — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:10:43 +0000

Thanks for the subtle and thoughtful response.

Of course, the experiment should not last forever. I should have made a point about the experiment a bit more clear. At the point of Ten Seconds, the decision must be made. No amount (or the least possible amount) of time should be given for the decision.

This avoids the “not picking up for eternity” problem.

Also, I’m not sure if I follow your point concerning the part of picking up the object meaning that there is an absence of free will. If it is a command that you yourself have given (ie. “I will pick up the ashtray”) and you follow it, are you not exerting your own free will to take action?

Comment on A one minute “Is there a God?” self test. by aforcier

aforcier — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:57:19 +0000

John… Feedom of will. If we pick up the object, then it is that we have obeyed a command (no free will). If we leave the object on the table… then we are reacting (and acting)in response to a command (no free will again).

We can get stuck here (no free will, in any situations.) However… we will not be picking up and not picking up the object for the rest of our existence. A space happens… and we stop what we are doing and go do something completely different. That space is a moment for free will. We can now choose. There are strands of cause and effect events broken by moments of choices