Free Will

Update 8/6/09: I provide the following definition.
Free will: The capability to make a free choice.
Free choice: A choice that is ultimately not influenced by any outside entity and completely unpredictable, but is also completely rational from the perspective of the entity making the choice.
Note that a being with free will does not have to make every choice a free choice, but must only be capable of making a free choice.

I am going to lay out the case that free will does not exist. I openly welcome responses.

Why Free Will Is Impossible
For this proof, I am going to assume that the universe follows a cause/effect structure. It is possible that it doesn’t, but Occam’s Razor says it does.

1. Every event is either caused by something or caused by nothing.
2. If an event is caused by something: it is not free because it is a reaction dependent on external cause.
3. If an event is caused by itself: events can’t be their own cause so this is impossible.
4. If an event is caused by nothing: it is unpredictable and therefore random; randomness is not free will.

It is a fairly simple proof. But I have another interesting proof which seems to invalidate the above proof.

1. If free will does not exist, logic may not work the way we think it does because we are just predetermined to think it works.
2. Therefore, the above proof may be false.

However, the proof is still valid. Proof by contradiction:
1. Assume free will exists.
2. Therefore, logic works the way we think it does.
3. Therefore, the proof is valid.
4. Therefore, free will does not exist.

So if free will exists, it cannot exist. The only option is that free will does not exist.

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