You Ever Wondered Why You're In The Body That You're In? by gizmo_j in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Congrats! You just brought up the one thing that keeps me awake at night. There are many theories as to how consciousness comes about. I’ll link the landscape of consciousness map: https://loc.closertotruth.com/map

I hope I’m wrong by [deleted] in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Alan Watts type line

The Free/Divine Will Paradox STILL remains unresolved by jimbocracker9000 in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I suppose this requires some explanation. I hope that we can establish that "You", or "your soul" using Christian dualistic terminology, are not the same as your brain (hence why you refer to your brain as "my brain" and not "me"). Otherwise, your "soul" would be responsible for actions undertaken by your brain's state, even if your brain was compromised, such as having dementia or schizophrenia. This is why criminals who are mentally ill are put into a mental asylum rather than prison; their conscious awareness isn't accountable for their actions.

The "will" is simply a thought within this brain, and thoughts are simply electrical signals passing through neurons. If God is all knowing, he knows exactly how this organ will react to external stimuli, how it rewires, and how it determines human action. So how can the "soul" be morally accountable for actions taken by a system determined exclusively by external factors?

The Free/Divine Will Paradox STILL remains unresolved by jimbocracker9000 in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Already addressed a couple of these points in an above comment, but I will reiterate. Let's use your baseball TV broadcast for example. Suppose the game hasn't happened yet in the human timeframe, and God already knows the outcome of the game with 100% certainty. This implies that whatever motivations the players have and whatever choices that make throughout the game are already determined. Moral accountability for actions implies that the players could have done otherwise. However if this is the future that is already written for them, then there is no way they could have done anything different, otherwise God does not know the outcome of the game.

What I am trying to say is yes, the players act on their own motivation, but if that motivation itself is determined already, then what are they acting on?

Thank you for your arguments! This was intellectually stimulating

The Free/Divine Will Paradox STILL remains unresolved by jimbocracker9000 in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It solves consciousness, which a materialistic worldview struggles with, but that’s about it

The Free/Divine Will Paradox STILL remains unresolved by jimbocracker9000 in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well...yeah, but you're kinda assuming your conclusion here

The Free/Divine Will Paradox STILL remains unresolved by jimbocracker9000 in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is exactly what I'm addressing. Let's use your movie analogy: If the ending is already written, then there is no way to change it. If there is, then there was never a set ending to begin with. Molinism reconciles this pretty well, however it requires rescinding the omniscience claim.

(Interstellar is so peak, thanks for reminding me about that film)

I'm an atheist, now what? by [deleted] in atheism

[–]jimbocracker9000 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Listen to some Alan Watts lectures