Do We Have Free Will?: In Conversation with Mike Brown (My Dad)

Written By Reese Brown

How fortunate am I to have a father that will talk about these questions with me? Most people don’t have parents that will talk with them about real life, much less the ultimate reality of our universe. I am so fortunate to have my dad as my dad, to be able to discuss making meaning with him, and to be able to share this conversation with all of you.

Our conversation began with a discussion of my dad’s story. It was especially interesting to have this conversation with someone whose story I already know so much of, and yet this is a completely new dimension of my dad’s story that was framed differently than I had previously understood. The notion of identity can be so much more than simply who we are, or who we feel ourselves to be. How others view us, and interact with us because of their view, can change who we are over time. Our relationships are impacted by our thoughts of each other, and the experiences we gain with each other change us like any other experience. The old adage, “You are the company you keep,” has stuck around for a reason. Whether or not you adopt similar qualities to those around you, we inevitably develop personally through our relationships and interactions. 

With this in mind, I want to shift one idea that my dad brought up: guilt-throwers and guilt-catchers. While I have not delved into the research on guilt, I can absolutely relate to this from my own experience. In our relationships, it makes sense that those who carry guilt interact differently than those that have an easier time releasing the burden of guilt. In this portion of our conversation, my dad also discussed his belief in an “internal locus of control.” This type of control applies to someone who feels that they are responsible for how life plays out, for themselves and others. I think this theory integrates nicely with the idea of guilt; if someone has a deep sense of personal responsibility, it makes sense that they would also carry a large amount of guilt if something does not go according to plan. The belief in our influence over our lives can be a double-edged sword. While it can be extremely empowering to believe in our own agency, it also necessitates that we take on more responsibility for the consequences, regardless of how everything turns out. While I believe it is necessary that we each embrace our ability to take control of our life, this means we need to temper our expectations with the things in life we can’t control. A healthy relationship with your own locus of control is up to you and what will bring you the most joy, but this is an excellent example of why discussing and investigating large questions, like free will, is so important. Even though it seems like philosophical questions are theoretical, this is an example of how the way you answer this question can change your daily frame of mind. 

This leads us into our conversation regarding free will and luck. Whether or not you believe in free will, it’s impossible to deny that we have no good logical answer or explanation for why we all feel so strongly that we are the arbiters of our own destiny, even without proof. Free will is such a complex philosophical question, with so many strong arguments that my dad and I could barely scratch the surface in our conversation. For those interested in professional theories on free will, I am listing resources below, but in our conversation my dad and I mainly discussed two arguments, one for and one against free will.

My dad’s big argument in favor of free will mirrored that of the famous Pascal’s Wager. For those unfamiliar with Pascal’s Wager, it is an argument for believing in God based on the consequences of holding a false belief. For example, if you don’t believe in God, but a Judeo-Christian worldview ends up being correct, you will end up in hell which is a very large consequence. But if you do believe in God, and a Judeo-Christian worldview ends up being incorrect, the worst that will happen is you spent some time in church or adopting other Christian behaviors and beliefs which seems far less bad than spending an eternity in hell. My dad’s argument for free will was similar. He suggested that believing in free will and being wrong provides us with more freedom and joy in our life, and if you’re wrong the consequences are already over, whereas if you don’t believe in free will and you’re wrong, you may end up living a life without following your goals and desires. While I think the logic here is sound, I still have a problem with the principle of Pascal’s Wager to begin with. If you are convincing yourself to believe something with the intention of protecting yourself, I wouldn’t consider that belief at all. 

My argument against free will is one I personally struggle with a good answer for. I still believe in free will but have not been able to come up with a logical defense. For those unfamiliar with Occam’s Razor, it is a logical principle that suggests whatever solution requires the least mental labor is correct. The most common example of Occam’s Razor is a thought experiment regarding the light that turns on when we open the fridge. Imagine that we do not know how the light is turning on so we are investigating an answer. Two people investigate this question independently and come up with two different answers. Person A suggests that the light comes on when a button is pressed inside the fridge from the door being opened. Person A suggests that the light comes on when a fairy presses a button inside the fridge when the light comes on. Occam’s Razor tells us that Person A is correct, because they effectively answer the questions without the added complication of a fairy. Because there is no need to have a fairy pressing the button, there is no reason to believe in this refrigerator fairy. 

I have a similar issue when I contemplate free will. Even though I want to believe in my ability to act freely, if our lives operate perfectly without adding free will into the equation, there is no logical reason for it to be included in the way we live our lives. Of course there is an emotional and theoretical desire to have free will, there is no logical reason why it would be necessary to the way we live.  While I still believe in free will without a solid explanation, I would like to find one eventually, so let me know what you think via Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, or linkedIn!

The Making Meaning podcast often discusses the meaning of life but I think this is the first time we’ve ever had someone give us a definitive answer to that question. My father has always told me, and still maintains, that the meaning of life is to get cookies. While this is obviously a lighthearted and joking way to discuss the meaning of life, I do think there is something to approaching these deep questions with levity. Maybe the meaning of life really is hidden in the small moments, like eating and savoring a delicious cookie. We can never really know, so why take the chance? Chase every cookie you find.

To further explore the things discussed in this blog post, check out the below resources and recommendations.

I hope you all enjoyed this conversation as much as I did! I’m truly so grateful and blessed to have my dad as a parent and a friend, and I am so happy I was able to share our relationship with you. If you want more content, subscribe to Making Meaning on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and subscribe to the blog so you never miss a post! If you want to join the conversation, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Tik Tok @thecoherecollective and leave a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode. Until next time, so much love!

XX 

Reese, Founder

The Cohere Collective

Reese Brown
Previous

Making Meaning as Members of a Society: In Conversation with Emma Frampton
Next

An Active Journey Towards Peace: In Conversation with Bill Draheim