Will o' the Wisp: Why We Are Not Free
from Chapter 8 of Maya (2015) by Joel Marks Freedom can be a strong feeling that makes us believe we really are free. Here I will give my reasons for denying that we are. How or why deny that there is free will? There are several avenues to this conclusion. One of them is simply to lose the feeling. This happened to me one day when I came downstairs to begin making my breakfast in the kitchen. [1] As I went from station to station of my morning regime, I suddenly noticed that every action I took was ether strictly habitual or else the immediate effect of a prior cause. Thus, the whole routine was set in motion by my habitual descent from the bedroom to begin making breakfast. Once in the kitchen I (out of habit) walked to the refrigerator to obtain the orange juice container. But finding the container almost empty (cause) I reached behind a shelf for an unopened carton (effect). Then I brought the two cartons to the counter and, wanting to pour and drink the juice (cause), I reache