A Sense of Free Will: the consciousness quagmire (Introduction)

by dhw, Thursday, September 10, 2015, 11:42 (3151 days ago) @ romansh

ROMANSH: Lets forget about free will and its definitions for the moment.
What are the ramifications for you and society in general, that result from every atom every fundamental particle, scrap of energy moving/reacting/interacting/whatever as a result of cause and effect?
Now for me it does not mean the unfolding of the universe is necessarily ordained or the patterns that form are destined; but it does mean they are determined. 
What are the consequences here dhw?
I'm on the road again ... so my presence may be erratic -Dhw: Alas, it's not just your presence that may be erratic. In response to your own post, I have explained why I do not accept your definition of free will, have offered you my own, have given you two reasoned approaches to the question of whether free will exists or not, and have questioned your concept of awareness. Your reply to all this is to say I should forget it “for the moment”. Why can't you answer now? Instead, I should focus on personal and social ramifications of cause and effect, and distinguish between “ordained, “destined” and “determined”, as if you know something I don't know which will somehow render my arguments invalid. “Erratic” would be an understatement for your mode of discussion. So let's forget about forgetting about free will and its definitions, and let's have a response to the points I have raised in response to your own arguments. 
Meanwhile, have fun on the road, please be aware of any dangers, and make good use of your ability to make conscious choices within given constraints. -ROMANSH: Let us ignore definitions for the moment. Let us assume you have free will, whatever it is. Try looking at the consequences of your position that everything is a result of cause and effect...every atom, energy packet etc...-You have quoted my post, totally ignored it, and repeated precisely the same non-response to all the arguments I have put forward (Sept. 6 and 7) in reply to your earlier posts! If you are unable to defend your definition of free will, unable to defend your position on awareness, and unable to cope with the two concepts I have already outlined in direct response to your arguments concerning cause and effect (one eliminating free will, and the other making it possible), then I fear I shall not be accompanying you along your winding road.