Does Free Will Exist?

Free will does exist to a certain extent for most people when it comes to making decisions. Ultimately, everyone can choose whether or not to follow the rules and expectations given to them or stray away and find their own path. Some decisions involve more free will than others. For instance, deciding whether or not to marry someone and contemplating whether robbing a bank is a good idea are events that require different levels of free will. While getting married involves a lot of free will when deciding if one person wants to marry another, robbing a bank calls for more free will because it puts others at risk and has more significant consequences. Overall, free will does exist to a certain degree; however, the expectations placed on citizens by higher powers limit free will.

To a certain extent, free will does exist. Everyone can make choices about the majority of the things in their life. To give an example, someone who does not like the place where they currently live can choose to move. Despite the ability to make this choice, uncontrollable factors can place a limit on free will. Not being able to afford to move or being too young and dependent to move may take the choice of moving from an individual. Essentially, outside factors that influence one’s decision often limit free will.

People may also lose the luxury of free will when a higher authority is involved because a higher power may deliver harsh repercussions. For example, a person who decides to commit murder will most likely be arrested and forced to serve jail time. Sure, everyone can decide whether or not to kill someone else, but the consequences, as well as the social stigmas associated with murder, eliminate this option for most people. Another higher power can be a religious idol. Some Christians choose to withhold from premarital sex because of their religious beliefs. They technically have the free will not to make this choice, but their faith in God eliminates their option to make a different choice.

On a final note, everyone has free will, but higher beings can damper the amount of free will one has. A the end of the day, all people can choose the right paths for themselves. Even so, people must be okay making choices despite the possible consequences, good or bad, to have free will entirely.