BUT DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. PLEASE!

Blog number 445 ******** 08 December 2010

I have never before written anything about the obvious absence of free will in humans, nor have I ever spoken of it except in one or two cases over two decades. The reason I am reticent about discussing this attribute of humanity is because of the experience I have had in trying to discuss another erroneous aspect of humans - that of them believing that what they are thinking is what is real.

The fact that there is abundant evidence for both the absence of free will and the illusionariness of the physical world cannot be used to any effect because of the power of cultural conditioning. "Cats don't eat birds." Period. No way around that.

Do you suppose that if dogs or cats or elephants or dolphins could ponder, would they firmly believe that they had free will? Although we, looking on from outside would see animal instinct? In other humans, we can see them responding to their motives. In ourselves? Not likely - rarely if at all. We often see ourselves doing things we don't want to do. What is that? Free will?

Is there a benefit to the individual in believing they have free will? None at all. Executions are given based upon this assumption. As are penalties for all laws, whether legal or merely social mores.

Is there a benefit to the individual who doesn't see themselves as having any free will? Yes, most definitely. It doesn't matter whether the individual believes in the existence of God or not, the fact remains that "letting go and letting God" takes a lot of the pressure off of merely living. That's only one of the ways that peace comes to such an individual.

Is there a benefit to the individual in believing the physical world is real? No, none at all. In fact, ALL the problems individuals have comes from this belief.

Is there a benefit to the individual in seeing the illusionary nature of the physical world? Yes there is. Such a one is freed from cultural conditioning, freed from enemies, worry, fear, death, injury - and some other things. Some other physical things. Many other physical things. All other physical things.