What Is Free Will, Anyway?

Free will is like being the captain of a ship, you get to decide where to go. But sometimes, it feels like the wind and waves are pushing you in directions you didn’t choose. That’s what philosophers call determinism. It's about whether we're really in charge or if everything happens because of things that came before.

Take the quiz →

Examples

Free will is like picking a path in the woods, you can go where you want. But sometimes it feels like the trees are pushing you toward one direction.
Imagine your friend always chooses chocolate ice cream, even when they say they don’t really like it, that might be determinism at work.
Free will is being able to choose between going to school or skipping it. But if you’re tired all the time, maybe the decision feels less free.

Ask a question

Discussion

Recent activity

Categories: Philosophy · free will· determinism· philosophy· consciousness· choice