Do you agree with the free will concept?

[Unseeking Seeker]

@ Gem post 80, makes sense

Overall on the topic of free will, I’d say it is illusionary for an unconscious mind and if we are operating from level of ego (identity), we are unaware. So, we appear to have free will but actually do not. As we slowly align with universal consciousness, the will, if any, merges with universal will because ego recedes.

In fact, the process of ‘waking up’ is nothing other than disappearance of the ego.

[Alethia]

Hi SapphireBlue

I watched the video and it makes sense in relation to our ignorance and unresolved patterns, waking up and resolving our past and how we choose through all this. I’m not sure about ‘we chose’ bit before we arrive. I do kind of feel we come from a much bigger source of creation at play, than just ourselves deciding, on the how and where and why. I’m not sure all the same, if it is all broken down to our individuated experience, pre earth landing. In those times we remember what is going to happen, or will be, is that simply the innate essence within a whole context of creation, we can become more aware and connected too? When he shared why he felt he was here to learn, my immediate sense, was we all have the potential to learn what he feels, is his life learning. He may be just seeing where he is realized to see himself, in this way. Not necessarily a pre programmed idea from pre birth? As he explains, when your living and existing through the past, your deciding through this, when you resolve and become aware you see you can choose and change your reality. You can see you have more control over your reality. I’m not sure what the percentages are, but we definitely are a mixed lot, experiencing ourselves all very differently. It seems most people who are on a spiritual path, break through barriers of not having free will based upon the past. They resolve and see. I see this as potential for all life and perhaps the balance in this way, swings the pendulum eventually, so then, all new life, no longer has to suffer or be ignorant in their lived experience.

Originally Posted by SapphireBlue

According to this guy, over 90% of people don't have free will because they're living on autopilot and in their "island of comfort".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32dq4cJhl2U

Could you please help me to find best meaning of determinism??? That will help me to think more deep and could post my thoughts for other members after clearing my doubts.

Originally Posted by Native spirit

I have to agree with saying we have free Will but we don't always have control

Very true, what we choose to do when we regain control is also important. In my opinion, choosing to stop fighting over what happened and try to rebuild.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Glenda

Could you please help me to find best meaning of determinism???

I looked it up myself, but there was too much info to link or copy to here.
I'm not familiar with this word, either.

[Gem]

The other kind of will includes virtues such as determination, perseverance, and grit.

I don't know about the video, but If I were to shoot a video for You Tube, I'd at least put on a shirt!

Anyway, a term like 'free will' is too vague because there is more than one way to imagine will. Is it will power, willfulness, willingness or determination or something else? Perhaps it's a bit more sublime and refers to goodwill or ill-will, which implies a whole moral component.

But frankly, I think if someone has anything remarkable to say on camera, he'd put on a dang shirt.

[hazada guess]

Just watched the video.......my thoughts,Your life is roughly plannd before you are born.You may deviate from that path but life will put you back on the track.You may think you have free will but events will not be altered.
Regarding the video,I wasnt given chioces.(I remember).
I know why I looked after my mother and I know my fate.
Our life on this Planet is all entwined.I chose to look after my mother (although I thought she was to be my partner) to avoid my demise,which isnt very pleasant.Now my mother has died,we will see how it pans out.
I agree with the video.How you walk along the path is your choice but the main events are pre planned.
I used to follow that man in the video a lot ages ago.What he says is fairly on track, but as with life itself,Nothing is set in stone.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by Glenda

Could you please help me to find best meaning of determinism??? That will help me to think more deep and could post my thoughts for other members after clearing my doubts.

determinism means one thing unnerringly follows another according to some set plan for how things work, and there can be no deviation.

for example if you have three gears in a row, rotating the first one causes the second and third to rotate deterministically. The relationship of the gears forces a reaction.

And putting bread in a toaster always results in a warm toasty piece of bread (well unless murphy is around that day to jam the toaster lol).

People thinking that they have to always respond in certain specific ways to things that happen to them, or that they have to get other people to always respond in certain specific ways to the things that are happening to them, is people trying to be deterministic. Of course the more deterministic a person is the less willing they are to just react authentically to what is going on around them.... many people start valuing 'proper' responses to various known situations instead of just being who they are. And then they call that who they are....

looked at that way there a lot of people who think they are free, who are nonetheless fighting the good fight for lack of freedom...

[Altair]

Determinism is hardcore structure on the structure vs. agency dimension.

Hardcore structure is the perspective where everything is (pre)determined, machine-like, explainable by external factors. It can be a materialist point of view but also a spiritual one where all your actions were somehow set in stone. So no free will. Hardcore agency is the perspective where everything is free will and your responsibility. Everything becomes internal, you decide every little detail, every experience. This aligns with libertarianism and also New Age beliefs such as setting affirmations and if it's not working you can blame yourself. If you get randomly bitten by a diseased mosquito it is also your fault etc.

We live in a world of both structure and agency.

[hazada guess]

I don't really undestand your post Altair.

At the end of the day,I strongly follow my intuition and my inner knowledge.(My best teacher).