The Problem of Freedom

One way out of this free will mess is compatibilism: the idea that free will and determinism are compatible. Compatibilists will argue that although our choices are determined, we could have acted differently if chosen, and that is sufficient for free will. However, the fact that we did not, or could not, have acted differently was in it of itself determined.

Another defense for free will is resorting to quantum mechanics. Some of you may think that quantum mechanics is no better than determinism. Quantum mechanics states that at the quantum level, everything is random, but does that really give us free will? Instead of having our actions follow one another like a series of dominoes, they are now determined by the roll of the die. With quantum mechanics, our actions aren’t really free, rational, and voluntary. Instead they are just random.

But the UC Berkeley philosopher John Searle would argue otherwise. He first argues that quantum mechanics shows that actions are not necessarily determined. He goes on to say that although activity at the quantum level is random, that does not mean that activity at the higher levels are also random. The fact that neurons in the brain fires at x hertz does not mean that the brain in general also fires at x hertz. So, he concludes that through quantum mechanics, it is possible that we may have free will.

However, his argument is less than satisfactory. It tells us that it is possible for free will to exist, but how possible is it, we do not know. Not only that, but he seems to be making the same mistake that he criticizes. He says that it would be a logical fallacy to say that because things are random at the quantum level, things are also random at the higher level. But, he himself says that because activity is indeterminate at the quantum level, activity must also be indeterminate at the higher level.

So, now what? Some of you may ignore the problem of free will and ask, “Why does it matter?” After all, whether or not free will exists, tomorrow you will still wake up, take a shower, eat breakfast, and do what you do everyday. But free will does matter. Take responsibility for example: we can only be responsible for things we committed in our free will. Or how about individuality: our individuality is determined by the free, rational, choices that we made. Some of you may be existentialists, which quite a popular philosophy. One of the key beliefs of existentialism is the belief that everybody has free will. But, if free will doesn’t exist, it seems that the whole philosophy of existentialism falls apart.

So, the problem of free will is not something that we could just ignore. It is relevant to everything we do and who we are. As of yet, there is no satisfactory solution to the problem. But who knows, in the future, we may find the answer to this age-old question.