what would you do with it?

Take a trip to Vegas and blow my life savings.

My lack of free will, however, precludes such a thing.

I'm not free to will such an adventure.

Of course, that's my external free will, the one controlled by interested parties.

Internal free will; I'd do the same thing I'm doing right now, not one thing would change.

Biology fine tuned us so well, we don't know the difference anyway.

Not the best answer. Damn trick questions.

Exactly what I'm doing now.

The same thing I am doing right now.

I don't see life as a cage.

On a humorous note: "I would tell "The Man" to go piss off!"

So you'd be obeying biological imperatives? Your genes are no doubt pleased to hear it.

I listen to my instincts and my intelligence all at the same time. Some times they conflict but I never see that as a bad thing. In fact my genes and my grey matter upstairs have been good to me.

It's very easy to worm out of it with "I have free will so I'd do what I'm doing," but since what you're doing is what your body chemistry demands of you, you're only confirming my point, which is that free will is not only false, but impossible.

PS: Intelligence is a program too.

That's the kicker, even in our unique position to "override" imperatives, are we really overriding anything?

And does it even matter?

I don't think it does, and I don't think you do either.

Oh, I agree. Biological traits and reactions are what motivate me to do the things I do.

I actually dislike the phrase "free will". It is a statement of separating yourself from the fact of survival. Do people really do things that are based on free will or even against free will? What the hell is free will?

Humans do what they do for survival or for comfort. And there are plenty of times when survival and comfort are at odds and usually comfort wins out. It is how people are intrinsically programmed.

I can say this because of my "Free Will".

Intelligence is mostly a genetic trait and slightly a nurtured trait. And the ability to absorb what has been nurtured is genetic too.

So, yes. I agree.

Achieve my long-term goals that I'm planning to execute to as full degree possible. They include making a great amount of money, doing more traveling and sight-seeing, and not working at a conventional day job.

I can say this because of my "Free Will".

You said it mostly because you're biologically programmed to crave social interaction. The topic of this conversation is pretty much immaterial except for the fact that you found it stimulating, however briefly.

I'll be more impressed by free will when someone can decide to quit urinating or blinking.

The question is pretty simple: if you weren't busy obeying biology all day, what would you be doing, anyway? We're flesh-bots, and that's fine by me, since as a flesh-bot I can't possibly know any different. But high falutin' ideas of actually being in control are kinda silly in perspective.

What about suicide?

That seems to counteract the biological imperative and intelligence, to an extent.


Would you say that the human animal has at least some level of control over his actions?

Perhaps not "free will" ; but will as the ability to consciously choose between limited, preexisting options?

That comment was a joke. "Free Will" is a joke, especially if people condition themselves into thinking such a thing is true and important.

>>The question is pretty simple: if you weren't busy obeying biology all day, what would you be doing, anyway?

A person would be dead.

A living machine is designed to do what is necessary to continue living and reproduce. Since humans have developed a rather large brain it has both brought biological pros and cons onto itself.

Suicide is a means of comfort to some. That is a biological process with chemical reactions that can easily condition someone to assume suicide is the best course of action. To the person it is completely appropriate.

Definitely a defunct thinking process, but still being compelled by biological conditions.