Tonight's million dollar question is: are humans free?
I found the assigned reading tonight challenging, but enjoyable. There are many good arguments both for free will and determinism. I'm not trying to sidestep the question, but is it possible to be as free as we perceive ourselves to be?
My options in life are a result of my experiences and my current environment. If I want to quit my current job, I'm reasonably sure that my education and work experience will make it possible for me to find a new one in a similar career field. I am free to make a change.
I know a genuine millionaire. If he looked at my life, he may see me as having little to no options at all. His options in a similar situation might be to not work at all, travel the world, go back to school, or any number of other choices. Similarly, an unwed 16-year-old mother may feel that I have a world of opportunities awaiting me.
It's kind of like the part in the Matrix where Cypher says: "I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious."
What do you think: Sense, no sense, or nonsense?
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