Are we free to make choices or not?

Question

Take someone like David Goggins who managed to beat all odds and win (writer of a new york times best seller, ultra marathon runner, navy SEAL) despite being dealt bad cards his whole life (fat, abusive father, poor). If choice is free then people who aren't like him and didn't manage to win or at least be…

mODIN · Accepted Answer

I do believe in free choice but also disagree with the idea that everyone should go on the same path in life like Goggins. Excessive self overcoming may have great benefits for people with low self esteem and who were dealt bad cards, as you mentioned. But there's absolutely no reason for someone who didn't have a childhood as traumatic as his to even think about aiming that high. Some people are perfectly okay with not being the greatest, and that's absolutely fine. But yes, I do personally believe that everyone has free will and the ability to drastically change the course of their life.

Ankit Thakur-1tvf · Answer

David Goggin is but an exception. As a general rule majority of people live life where they have little to no choice of their own. humans make their choices with the information and experience they have and are aware of because of popular culture like movies. people are influenced by their surrounding that accumulates as experience and determine the choice people make. also choice is a privilege. people in this world are busy managing 3 time of food for their family. that's their priority. Bills are the reality. their choices surrounds the bills they have to pay for themselves and their family. these celebrities that give big talk on "i did it, i chose to be success" and all are bullshitting. they were lucky. yes they worked really hard they too the risk and they broke the cycle. but luck had big role to play. many people write books everyday, start podcast, audition for a movie, try stand up, majority of them are very sad and failures so no one talk about them. there are handful of…

Jack-Attack · Answer

Yes I believe that we have free choice, however free choice doesn't mean free of consequence, effort and time. Now when it comes to the accomplishments and 'winning' part this is subjective to each individual, to try and say "people who aren't like him and didn't manage to win or at least be significantly better" doesn't have any merit as otherwise who's the arbiter that decides which 'wins' are better then others. For instance - Lets say we have a person called James who has used his free choices, time and majority of his money spending his life volunteering abroad, where exactly do we scale that if you were to compare that life against David's

Are we free to make choices or not?

Arguments

Free choice

Predetermined choice

Free choice

Predetermined choice