Illusions: Choice

I'm sitting in Philosophy, watching as mere seconds stretch into infinity. The question of the hour relates to the dichotomy between determinism and freedom; is our existence determined entirely by outside forces, or are we truly free? The tatterdemalions and rapscallions are arguing in circles, stating openly that we indeed have freedom in the choices we make everyday. The refutations of our professor fall on deaf ears. They claim we have a degree of freedom in our lives, and despite the limitations that exist, we still have the ability to pick our own course.

The problem therein lies in the concept of degrees of freedom; there is no such thing. By its definition, freedom is limitless, and admitting a degree is admitting an overarching system of control. By the laws of logic, specifically that of non-contradiction, stating that we have limited freedom is highly illogical. Instead, I offer that we have the illusion of freedom: I call this choice.

We are beings in a physical world, bound by physical laws. We cannot defy these laws through our own personal conviction, and are therefore our potential freedom is limited to a physical reality. Causality itself is proof of control; every reaction must have an equal and opposite reaction. This is the most fundamental aspect of science and our understanding of the universe.

Since we are bound by consequence, our actions are inherently limited. If I am forced to choose between eating or dying, I am still being forced between two options; the laws of nature confine me to accept a limited reality, and my choice is not entirely free. Since we are bound by the laws of physics, nature, man, and reality, we are forced to constantly make choices, decisions, and critical analysis, all of which rely on in-built systems. I cannot actually create a reality to escape the eating/starvation dilemma, and I am therefore determined to either consume or die.

The question of imagination arises when pertaining to the topic of freedom; is the mind itself inherently free, due to its ability to transcend the boundaries of reality? The imagination allows someone to enter into a different reality, an existence that offers a personal solution to the causality dilemma. Therefore, it could be argued that within the mind we are actually free.

Another argument against determinism is Chaos Theory. In this argument, it notes the inability to predict electron patterns and other unpredictability in nature and physics as proof that there is no hierarchal order. This argument, an unknowing modernization of the classic miracle case for the existence of God, assumes that because something is currently unobservable and unknown, it is also entirely preternatural. If something defies the laws of nature, it is by definition supernatural. The underlying order and connection between these things is, in an empirical sense, likely there, but the inability of modern comprehension to grasp it should not be dismissed as absolute randomness.

I welcome any challenges to these statements.