Does Free Will Exist?

Free will, the idea that one has choice in every aspect of their life. Is it so? Surely it must be as the universe is a random assortment of patterns and geometry, humans a colorful mix of cultures, laws, identities. The inherent randomness of events and actions must mean that nothing is determined and the future is wide open. Patterns, statistics, and ways in which we can define and understand the world may have a bearing on free will but unless it is believed by the observer to be true in their case then it may not be true at all.

The argument this post makes is one that free will exists as an illusion, but an illusion still exists to the one who observes it. In the nature versus nurture experiment we can see how much of a child is influenced by nature and then how they are influenced by the nurturing environment they grow up in. Does this not also play a part in free will? If by nature you favorite color would always be blue, or your favorite song by Chopin does that mean you had the freedom to choose? You may consider that you had that choice, and to you that is free will.

It must be that free will is a choice made, but that choice will have be made regardless the outcome unreliant on the initial choice as you must make it. The consequences don’t matter as you will have to suffer or enjoy them either way. If choice must be made regardless of if you want to make it or not — you have no freedom of will unless you believe yourself to. If you believe yourself to have free will then it exists to you even if someone may argue you against that — as your perception of reality is the only one you can process and understand even if it is influenced by outside forces.