A dreadful thought
Bear with me here......
A chemical reaction just requires that two molecules collide in the right orientation and with enough energy...and the motion of particles in space is completely described by the laws of physics.
You and I are just giant walking, talking vessels in which chemical reactions occur. All the processes in the cells that make up our bodies come down to a bunch of chemical reactions.
Even the stuff that goes on in our brains is just a bunch of chemical reactions and can be described by those same fundamental laws of physics. For example, the ability to form long term memories depends on a specific chemical process called transcription, and if one of the molecules required in the control of this process gets messed up, you end up mentally retarded.
No one would deny that our long term memories affect the decisions we make in life. In fact, there is no reason to believe that any decision we make doesn't depend on some physical/chemical process in our brains.
Since the universe is just a giant collection of matter that operates according to the laws of nature, and since we are just bags of molecules in the universe, and since our thought processes and decisions likely depend only on how the molecules in our brain behave, then free will is probably just an illusion.
So you don't really make the decisions you think you make. They were made for you billions of years ago and the fact that you are reading this crappy blog right now was pre-ordained at the time of the Big Bang and basically just came down to the specific way in which all those particles of matter have bumped into each other since the dawn of time.
I realize this is not exactly original, and I don't know if it's actually true....but thinking about it sure makes me want to go to church or something.
A chemical reaction just requires that two molecules collide in the right orientation and with enough energy...and the motion of particles in space is completely described by the laws of physics.
You and I are just giant walking, talking vessels in which chemical reactions occur. All the processes in the cells that make up our bodies come down to a bunch of chemical reactions.
Even the stuff that goes on in our brains is just a bunch of chemical reactions and can be described by those same fundamental laws of physics. For example, the ability to form long term memories depends on a specific chemical process called transcription, and if one of the molecules required in the control of this process gets messed up, you end up mentally retarded.
No one would deny that our long term memories affect the decisions we make in life. In fact, there is no reason to believe that any decision we make doesn't depend on some physical/chemical process in our brains.
Since the universe is just a giant collection of matter that operates according to the laws of nature, and since we are just bags of molecules in the universe, and since our thought processes and decisions likely depend only on how the molecules in our brain behave, then free will is probably just an illusion.
So you don't really make the decisions you think you make. They were made for you billions of years ago and the fact that you are reading this crappy blog right now was pre-ordained at the time of the Big Bang and basically just came down to the specific way in which all those particles of matter have bumped into each other since the dawn of time.
I realize this is not exactly original, and I don't know if it's actually true....but thinking about it sure makes me want to go to church or something.
posted by Mr. Apple at 10:39 PM
3 Comments:
Seriously.
I'm not sure about what my view of God is. I'd like to think that there is something out there, because that would be comforting. It's hard for me to believe in God with what is going on in the World on a daily basis. Everyday I try to live my life as best as I can, despite all of the potholes I have come across I keep getting up and move forward. Perhaps it would be easier to believe if he gave me something, doesn't have to be big but just a break of sorts.
Good post.
Good afternoon from Tobago,
I have yet to contract the Dengue fever. All is well. My only brushes with death are driving up twisty, mountain roads in a jeep equivalent of mon chum on the Wrong Side of the road. They drive on the left here.
Things are wonderful but 4 hours of yoga a day requires 2 Tylenol beforehand to make it through.
I am reading the book you gave me: "The human Stain". I'll lend it to you when you come home again. It is wonderful.
Stay out of trouble mon gros teted frere.
TEx
crowbar,
The Big Bang made you say that.
Post a Comment
<< Home