Ooh, ooh, I'm so excited! Amazon tells me my pre-ordered copy of "Free Will" by Sam Harris should be delivered today.
Can't help my excitement. I have no free will. Harris gives away the plot line of his book in The Illusion of Free Will. In that short piece he ends with a great question:
How can we make sense of our lives, and hold people accountable for their choices, given the unconscious origins of our conscious minds?
His new book is just 96 pages long. Good. I want to learn Harris' answer.
"How can we make sense of our lives, and hold people accountable for their choices, given the unconscious origins of our conscious minds?"
Well now Churchless, based on the (unprovable) "given" included in the question, you certainly needn't wait until you've read this little orthodox essay.
In brief: you can make sense of life anyway you please and justify your beliefs by saying that it's all just a product of personal genetics anyway. Because after all, free will, as well as conscious being itself, are naught but pointless illusions.
Posted by: Brian from Colorado | March 07, 2012 at 10:33 AM
just finished reading it. Excellent, concise points. I find it interesting, and likely very wise on his part, not to address the lack of counter causal fee will on the basis of materialism. i think that he found enough points simply by looking at a conscious/ unconscious divide. that said a longer book, perhaps by another author that delves into the matter that makes humanity no less determined or random than anything else might be needed.
Posted by: Matthew Putman | March 07, 2012 at 06:15 PM
Farewell, old chum, and may your path lead to that which you truly seek, though you know not what it is!
Posted by: Brian from Colorado | March 07, 2012 at 06:59 PM
Brian from Colorado, thanks for the good wishes. Yes, I think once I've finished the "Free Will" book tomorrow, I'll be at the end of my journey.
Fully enlightened! To the reality that "I" don't exist, nor can I will myself to do anything, much less be enlightened.
Ah, the peace that passeth understanding. So near at hand! Why, no...I've got it right now!
I'm whatever I am, and there's nothing to do but be me.
Mysteriously.
Posted by: Brian Hines | March 07, 2012 at 07:50 PM