I have a question for all you philosophy experts. In my limited research of causal determinism, I have seen that one of the problems with this theory is the inherent randomness at the sub-atomic level and the impact this could have on the macro world. My question is how does the issue of free will play into this? Current events may not predict future events, but this doesn't mean we have any control over our own future because we can't control the random nature of these events.... right? Aren't we on sort of a "random" deterministic path through life?

My guess as to why some people seem to think that quantum indeterminism indicates free will is that (1) it allows for things to have been otherwise than they actually ended up (and "the ability to do otherwise" is often regarded as part of free will) and (2) this multiplicity of possible physical realities is, on some interpretations of quantum mechanics, decided by consciousness (e.g. observing the particles during the double-slit experiment or not).

Another problem with indeterminism is that it may only provide room for spontaneity, which is certainly not a freedom that involves choice at all. The only sort of freedom that is relevant is through self-cause.

I see looking at sub-atomic physics as ultimately a dead end for disarming causal determinism, since it isn't needed (or helpful) when talking about what is at stake in causal determinism - namely morality.

When it comes down to it, causal determinism is crippled right out of the gate because people aren't going to stop feeling moral. It seems that all morality requires is to not be self-contradictory, and for us to have moral experience of some sort, which we clearly do.

What gives our agency meaning ultimately is not going to be discoveries in physics, but what has always given our agency meaning: that we have drives that attempt to resist nature, and our own physical desires, which we can be compelled to resist, creating in us the meaning of our agency. We require no transcendent knowledge of our self/will/soul, since this doesn't even need to become part of the discussion - the moral law gains objective reality for each of us in our mere recognizing something to be our duty.

jobo218 wrote:
I have a question for all you philosophy experts. In my limited research of causal determinism, I have seen that one of the problems with this theory is the inherent randomness at the sub-atomic level and the impact this could have on the macro world.

Bearing in mind the more expert members are rare to show, and that
experts are known to disagree in Philosophy, mind you...


My question is how does the issue of free will play into this? Current events may not predict future events, but this doesn't mean we have any control over our own future because we can't control the random nature of these events.... right? Aren't we on sort of a "random" deterministic path through life?


Not quite. In any randomness, there is a statistical peak. As a Physics
grad., I can directly address the impact of your 'subatomic' randomness.
The chance of one electron not being where it ought to be is actually
like a 'cloud' of sightings. However, if you look over a fair period
of time (10-9 seconds), it's pretty predictable. If you add electrons
and a trapping nucleus, things are even more predictable. An atom
is pretty tractable. A molecule far more so. And a whole human...
..well, there is no chance at all of a "second Captain Kirk".
So, it's a monstrous cop-out to say particle variance affects anything
we see or do.

A much more substantial and real effect is of not knowing things
exactly.