One is the line

It's not too often these days that one thinks; with all the automation for a better life style, for all the misinformation disguised as awareness and all the opinions that are influenced, the act of reasoning is not so common. One may take pride in having an opinion (about everything these days) and chooses to stand by them more often than not. Is the choices one make that defines them? Is one, what one chooses to be? can one "choose" to be?
Choice, gives one a feeling of control. Often missed, control may be an underlying emotion. An emotion of the mind for the mind cannot exist without control. If a conscious mind does not exercise control, its purpose remains defeated. Now, choice is everything from choosing to Netflix and 'not chill' to deciding to quit that job or choosing to kill in the name one likes better for an imaginary character.

Free will is what one calls this power to make choices, but is one really free to the true nature of the word? The argument 'for' the notion is that one "feels" in control and so the universe should be one that of 'Free will'. This seems fair enough and obvious until the argument 'against' makes its point which also brings in some interesting facts and more importantly sense. Every decision one makes is a direct consequence of brain states which in turn is a result of molecular interactions and this goes down all the way to the very fabric of space-time. “Determinism” as one will call it, explains that every effect is caused by a previous action. The universe is deterministic and given enough information, one could know what the future is. The universe in all its glory is much like a break at the pool table for everything that happens after the break is determined, differing only by the fact that formation of galaxies and star systems and walking 'meats' take a little longer. One may say that one "chooses" to do something but "Determinism" says that the choice is a result of multiple other events.

Another argument against free will comes with all sorts of tricks up its sleeve. It goes down to the very working of the universe to dismiss the 'concept of time' as one would know it.

"Choice as a reality can only exist if future as a concept does"

This concept of future stems from one's perception of a liner time model. These 'meat creatures', that can now dance around a fire, have a deluded perspective of reality. One can be forgiven to assume that one lives in a 3-dimensional space with a linear passage of time. Now, this perception of reality would however be flawed considering the best theories that these meat creatures, who now chooses to drop bombs, have got. It goes something like so: " The universe is a 4 dimensional space-time which consists of every point in 3-d space at EVERY instance". One does not simply move through space over time but exists at every instance of space-time. Consider plotting every instance of one's life on a space-time diagram, it would add up to be a line. So now is one traveling along the line? No.

"ONE IS THE LINE"

One's entire existence exists simultaneously. Simply put, all of the 3-dimensional space at every instant simply exists in parallel. The past exists and so does the future. All of this comes from one particular meat creature, now developing the theory of special relativity which happens to be the source of all this absurdity; only that absurdity, it is not. When one thinks about it, it appears to be an elegant design. The best and stable designs are often the simplest and so is a universe without the uncertainty of choice. The only thing left was to give its inhabitants the illusion of the same. This was easily achieved by creating a conscious mind which could only traverse "one" in a linear fashion. Yes, the mind moves through one, feels one, experiences one. Consider this; "one" is a record with all its groves and the conscious mind is the record pin reading one's life. The groves exist; the mind only perceives. What would a mind not bound by a linear time be? Could such a mind be? Maybe one "read line this like would so and would sense make it still". Or a concept incomprehensible to any.

So what does one do with this knowledge? Knowledge, that the future already exists; Knowledge, that one does not have free will and knowledge that choice is only an illusion?
Honestly, not much. Maybe feel a little stupid about that relationship one tried to hang on to. Or come up with zen quotes like "time is an illusion" or just maybe not write that blog post about free will because it already exists.

Post Scriptum : The views expressed above is the author's interpretation of reality aided by the collective knowledge of mankind. Viewers are strongly recommended to do their own research.

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Artwork credits : Daya Mundaye