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Why We Have Free Will
Why We Have Free Will
Article by Eddy Nahmias
Article by Eddy Nahmias
"First, neuroscience currently lacks the technical sophistication to determine whether neural activity underlying our imagining and evaluating of future options has any impact on which option we then carry out minutes, hours or days later. Instead the research discussed by willusionists fails to clearly define the border between conscious and unconscious actions."
Nahmias counters the idea that neuroscience is disproving the idea of free will, because of the readiness potentials detected before the decision(see the page on determinism arguments). Technology is currently not enough to show these decisions and signals will impact anything further in the future, or to define a clear line between what we have decided consciously, or unconsciously. Although these claims regarding how neuroscience is debunking free will can be somewhat refuted, it is very difficult to prove the existence of free will, other than that we, humans, just so strongly instinctually feel like it.
The Hate U Give - Exploring How Circumstances Shape Lives
The Hate U Give - Exploring How Circumstances Shape Lives
Novel by Angie Thomas
"This all happened because he . . . assumed that we were up to no good. Because we’re black and because of where we live. We were just two kids, minding our business, you know?" (189 of pdf)
The Hate U Give tells the story of Starr, who is a young girl, maneuvering between her two worlds: her home life in a poor black neighborhood, and her life at a prep school she attends. Peace and her normal life are shattered when her childhood friend, Khalil, gets killed by a police officer. Throughout the book, Starr's character develops, as she learns to stand up for what she believes in and strengthens her voice. The book explores the impacts of racism, police brutality, and how circumstances shape lives following Starr's narrative as events unfold. Due to Starr's background, being born black, her life is shaped, and she and her friends are treated unfairly, and with violence. Starr however, learns to build a stronger voice, and her character develops into someone who can advocate for their beliefs strongly, and stand up against harsh racism and violence. This plays into the idea of free will, and that you can change your future. Your past doesn't determine who you are and/or how you will be in the present, you make your own choices to change how you want to live your life.
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