Discussion Group 2 - South Hills - Free Will

This month we’ll be discussing the philosophical concept of free will and how our opinion on the subject can and should affect the way we build a society. This debate can traditionally be broken down into an argument between free will, representing a sense of personal agency, and determinism, the philosophy that the cause and effect nature of our perceived universe precludes any actual choice of outcome. There are also many philosophies that claim there are varying degrees of randomness involved in the whole process.

It’s often easy to imagine that our personal choices are made purely of our own volition and creativity, but if we take the time to ask ourselves from where exactly these choices are presenting themselves and how we are arriving at our conclusions, the issue is complicated. We are surrounded by examples of cause and effect in science but dismiss these notions when they might apply to our thoughts.

This is not just an academic or philosophical debate, there are also implications for our idea of society, government, economy, and the justice system. Personal responsibility is a central tenet of many cultural standards in these arenas. If our own agency is in question, our sense of justice, for instance, might emphasize anything from retribution to rehabilitation, and persecution to prevention.

Recommended viewing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCofmZlC72g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCGtkDzELAI

Please note that we'll be meeting in the choir room this month. Our goal is to discuss social issues, science, and philosophy in an open setting.