>
> >>There isn't any experiment or data which demonstrates the existance of
> >>the concept of free will.
>
> >But, surely you contradict yourself by writing the above statement.
>
> Why? Maybe God predestinated me writing that sentence from before he
> created the universe.
> There is no objective test for the existance of free will.
If you mean indeterministic free will, I'd agree. But the concept of free
will is not rationally definable in terms of indeterminism, anyway, and
determinism as such is not incompatible with free will. Certain specific
*kinds* of determinism are, but that's a different matter. In fact,
determinism is *required* for free will, because indeterminism would require
that choices be uncaused and therefore effectively randomized, divorced from
our values and knowledge to whatever extent they were in fact
indeterministic. Free will is freedom of will with respect to possible
*outside* (outside the will) forces, such as compulsions or overwhelming
fear, etc. Therefore, if you are acting on your best judgment and *because*
it is your best judgment, your will is free (it is not constrained by
compulsions, etc.).
>
> >>Life only has value in a religious context. (economically and socially,
> >>some humans have more value as compost than as living entities)
>
> >I hope your joking.
>
> If we evolved from pond slime AND there is no God then morality equals
> social contract.
This is truly ridiculous. Our origins have *nothing* to do with morality,
and neither does God, except that, *if* he existed and chose to, he could
change the context in which we apply moral principles so that our actions
would be different (i.e., we might behave differently in order to get into
Heaven, etc.).
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