There nothing to be scared about. Political freedom to do as you will is still extant. Free will does not exist in that what we will cannot be our choice.

What makes you think free will doesn't exist?

I think the same thing. When I first realized it, I randomly slapped myself in the face to trick predeterminism (what a stupid universe produces such things as a person slapping himself for that reason lol) So how to deal with it smarter? Even though at the level of atoms and neural process of your brain, cause and effect, input output and so on, free will doesn't exist, you still have the sensation of free will. Every time you make a decision, it feels like you actually do have a choice. It really doesn't make a big difference. And stay awere, even though you most likely don't have free will, it is not 'written in the stars' what will happen with you, since events at the quantum level are pretty weird, there is always a certain amount of randomness (Heisenbergs uncertainty principle). Of course that doesn't directly influence anything, yet you can look at it like this: Imagine you make a test to see whether you have a deadly disease or not. As far as you're concerned, the doctor cannot figure out the result yet, it only becomes certainty AFTER it happened, meaning after the disease definately broke out or not. So up until the actual event, many things are possible, yet the stream of consciousness defined as you cannot influence it with it's own power.

How about some medication to change your mind?

In a way, it doesn't actually matter if 'free will' exists or not, because the limitations on 'free will' (assuming it exists) are so great that its influence on behavior can be quite minimal. Let's assume 'free will' exists. It can direct behavior provided that: -- it has adequate and accurate information (frequently not true) -- The mind/brain is not under the influence of mind-altering drugs (which is not often, because the brain's *own* drugs are mind-altering) -- The mind/brain is not subject to an addiction -- The mind/brain is not subject to a mental disorder (OCD, depression, schizophrenia, etc.) -- The mind/brain has not been subjected to extreme abuse (torture, abusive relationships, etc.) -- The mind/brain is not trying to rationalize a 'decision' by the adaptive subconscious (which it frequently is). -- Etc., etc., etc. As one continues to stack the necessary limitations on 'free will', the importance of 'free will' diminishes. . . .

The problem is that you're caught up in beliefs about it -- tangled up in *thinking*. This is pretty common, especially for people with a philosophical bent who are intelligent. Reality cannot be reduced to concepts, and every time someone comes up with a comprehensive set of ideas to explain reality, and then chains themselves to that set of ideas, they form their own prison. This bit about free will is your new prison, and the fear is the thrashing about which occurs when an free person senses that they're trapped. All you have to do to escape from these prisons is to realize that they are self-created: that you are the one having these thoughts, that you are the one choosing to believe them, and that they are just thoughts. Just ideas. Just concepts. Just *representations* of abstractions happening in the synapses of your brain. The moment someone releases themselves from such a prison, they experience... freedom. The freedom to choose, the freedom to create, the freedom to BE. Is that freedom real? It's at least as real as the prison created by the mind which believes that there's no such thing as free will.

OK - so what do you believe? I don't think it's a case of absolutes... one or the other. Think of it as being in the middle of a river or on a highway. At the one extreme you can be swept along helplessly...just going with the flow to a pre-determined destination - a victim of chance and "fate" or other people's decisions. At the other extreme it IS possible, even when being swept along by that stream, to make decisions that affect your life, your fate. You do get to exercise free will...just not all the time...and it does not always have the desired results. You COULD decide to swim against the stream or to take a detour when the opportunity presents itself. When you do this, you are exercising your free will... which may then in fact produce a particular result. For instance you could decide to apply for a particular job. You could also decide not to apply for it. In either case you have exercised free will. In applying for the job there is of course no guarantee that you would get the job... but you might. On the other hand, there IS a guarantee that you WON'T get the job if you do not apply for the job. If you do happen to get the job it was therefore the result of you exercising your free will. You made a decision, took action and applied for it. So the decision to apply or not to apply was vital to what eventually transpired. You do get to make choices...albeit only sometimes. You do get to say "yes" or "no". You do get to influence outcomes provided you have the power and the desire to do so. In between the extremes of either going with the flow and swimming against the stream, there is another possibility. You could go with the flow and still exert some control....steering a course to avoid the rocks or potholes, taking a detour that leads you to a different destination or influencing the persons who are making the decisions. This is where most of us find ourselves on a day to day basis. Surviving as best we can...with varying degrees of success. Striving to stay afloat and maintain some control. Changing what we can and accepting what we cannot. You may never be in complete control but this does not mean you are always completely powerless.

It's fine and beneficial in many ways for you to have strong beliefs. This is how people get things done and improve themselves and the situations they are in. However, you must leave the possibility open that you are wrong. If you know you will always have this out then there is nothing to fear. Just don't close the door of your mind. Leave the door ajar.

I haven't believed in free will for years. the most serious ramification it's had for me is that I tend to get less angry about things -- like, okay, I have an ex who's a weirdo, but she was raised a weirdo and she doesn't have any good relationship models in her life so while I can be sad it ended, and perhaps a little angry about what happened, I kinda figure it's not like she set out to be like that. *shrug* it never scared me, just kindof made things make sense. What's scaring you?

What does free will not existing mean to you?

Accept more responsibility?! ;-)

I perceive free will, therefore I have free will.

read the book slaughterhouse 5 by kurt vonnegut and you will discover the answer of your question so it goes...

Concept of freewill- is it totall control of your own life or no control? Most may juggle for part control unless you are married. lol just joking!

Freewill or no freewill, there is still such a thing as decision-making.

Why is it frightening? Where do you think it will take you? Is political freedom precluded by lacking free will? Answer the above questions to the best of your ability. And you will feel completely at ease. They brought me back to my senses: a lack of free will is easy to live with.

flip a coin . pet Schroedinger's cat alive and dead. free will is the hammer we use to beat on Taboo, either to strike them as if they were bells to reaffirm them or to break through them as if they are walls. Free will; build a decision matrix of greater than 2 choices, and get bigger dice. create a way for chance and multiple choice to enter your life. random is free.

Yes and No, in terms of me being able to help you. Firstly I also have this problem. If I had utter free will and full knowledge of all the consequences of my actions, I would always pursue the good path. But I do not. I have terrible problems with this issue. I wonder whether that is why God gaves us His Son to forgive us, knowing we would disobey Him as we do not know the consequences of our actions. In one sense we do have free will - you could choose to not be on AB or you can. In another sense we do not have free will - when our lives are under threat we may feel utterly compelled to respond to our physiological responses. Also as a parent I watch my children grow up - as babies do they really have free will? In many regards no - they need to eat or drink, so they cry. They did not 'choose' that did they? If it is of any help this is how I deal with freewill and responsibility : I seek to learn what choices I am able to make. As I have got older and more mature I am aware of more choices that I am able to make and seek to make. But there are some choices you may not be able to make, and hence you may feel you lack freewill. In such circumstances I seek forgiveness or guidance or I pray. Also you may feel a lack of freewill when you feel trapped and have few choices. Pray that you have the ability to at least use your mind more freely. Sorry this response is a bit garbled, but hope it helps you. A good place to start is seek to accept who you are and where you are - it is not easy, it could take a while, but it does help. Talk to friends too. Write down those things you feel you do have a choice over, and those things you do not. Give them over to God or some other means of handing it over to fate. With my best wishes.

Whether or not free will exists will depend entirely upon your ontological viewpoint. But in any event, whether it does or does not ultimately exist doesn't actually make any practical difference whatever. So there is no reason why your belief should be a frightening one.