We only do things for 2 reasons; either we want to, or we have to
We only do things for 2 reasons; either we want to, or we have to
There's no freedom in having to do something but you're also not free to choose your wants.
Maybe it's better to just live and let life happen instead of thinking about what could've been. What ever happened is the only thing that could've happened.
I see you haven't met me. I will walk to the refridgerator, grab a bottle of lemonaide, grab a single sock, and grab a hot wheels car. Then I'll go back to my seat with these items, and ask nobody at all "Wait.....why the hell did I grab these things?"
I don't do things because I want to, or need to, or even because it makes any logical sense.
I just do things. I have no idea what I'm doing half the time.
Hey, are you going to eat that ghost?
I was just thinking that there is a third option. You certainly can do things you don’t need to or even d want to.
An extreme example would be all the various kinds of mental issues. Even phobias count. You don’t need to be afraid of balloons, nor do you want to. However, someone suffering from such a phobia just can’t help themselves.
That description of your process reminds me of this video on consciousness, and how the creator describes how he has no inner monolog, or even conscious thought of some of his actions, and instead it's like a black box that he can query. Is your experience similar to that?
That doesn't imply any kind of freedom either. It's what you wanted to do wether consciously or not.
Sounds like you're categorically defining everything someone does without being forced as "want". But who is the "you" that wanted to do it if you're not conscious of that want? Do I breathe while in a coma because I want to? Do I stop breathing because I want to? Or does my low-level biology force me in those cases?
What about when we just can't think of anything better to do?
People don't do stuff they don't want to to because they couldn't think of anything better to do. If you decide to just stay in and lay in bed because you couldn't think of anything better to do then laying in bed is what you preferred to do above everything else, otherwise you'd be doing something else.
I stub my toe. Is that a "have to?"
The argument in the title is essentially an argument against free will. Involuntary actions are outside of your control and are thus for evidence of free will. Stubbing your toe is not something you chose to do. It's a thing that happened to you.
I agree. I do appreciate the spirit of OP's comment, that we are agents. I observe a lot of people who blame everything but themselves for their circumstances, and take responsibility for nothing.
However, sometimes you get the meteorite, and sometimes the meteorite gets you; we're none of us 100% in control of our fates.
Sure... If you're normal. 🤷🏻♂️
welcome to philosophy :)
This is the issue of free will and determinism. Hate to break it to you but both sides of that debate will have disagreements with this shower thought.
Have fun debating them in the comments!