If you were to look back at a certain period (of time) that you did something, can you say with certainty (most likely) you would have done a different action instead of the action that you took that lead you to the present you. Or does it become another probability that you cannot infer that you would have most likely done things differently. Say for example you said that you would have most likely went to school B if you did not go to school A. Are you saying that if you went back to that instance in time, knowing all the stuff that you did you would most likely have chosen school B given your circumstances of you at the past without any of the future biases that you hold from choosing school A? Or does it become another possibility of a what if scenario where you cannot infer that you would have done this or that to certain degree? How can you say for certain you would have done that when you did not (choose school A) therefore there would be no certainty in what you would have done in the past?

I am personally a determinist but one thing that has confused me is how can determinism and morality co-exist? If determinism is true, then how can we possibly judge the morality of a choice that someone was destined to make?

Keep in mind I'm a complete novice in philosophy, especially when it comes to the literature. I might misrepresent some positions completely. Please call me out. In short: The determinist states: Our decisions are bound to causation, and thus we are not truly free. This statement implies that the only way for free will to exist would be to detach an agent from causation; as long as some factors affect out motivation to do something, we are not truly free. The determinist thus claims that the only way for a choice to be free is that there would be some force acting above the physical reality, especially when it comes to cognition and decisionmaking. Thus only in a dualistic reality is free will possible. I have a few problems with this: 1. This method of defining free will seems to consequentally destroy the agent. If we were to be able to decide what we want, we'd, at least apparently, fundamentally be nothing. How would it be possible to even assign a different "want" to ourselves without that want...

I have somewhat of a general question. What exactly is Compatibalism? As far as I understand, a way of reconciling the contradiction between free will and determinism. One way of describing it, as far as I understand, is this: "Free will is to be understood only as freedom from coercion, and anything further is an illusion." But I don't really understand what "freedom from coercion" means here. This quote is taken from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_free_will

Should (intentionally) false speech be completely free? If so, on what basis? Such speech seems only to bring harm and spread misunderstanding.

I have a strong conviction. It's about free will. I don't think we have it. Here goes: 1. We don't choose our preferences. - I can't say we do, looking into myself and others I've talked to... Which ofcourse makes my basis for this assertion quite limited. So how is it? Do we choose our preferences? 2. We can't make choices outside of our preferences. - Looking into myself and my choices, they're always dictated by my preferences. No matter how banale or how life changing the choice was. I chose as I preferred to choose. (I call it choice even if I don't believe there ever was a choice per se, because there are options at hand, objectively speaking.) Conclusion: We don't have free will. We can't choose any other way than we in fact choose. Does this hold up as it stands? Thanks in advance.

Now it’s true the Eagles won the super bowl. Is the following statement true.?The team had always a winning chance of 100 percent regardless of their preparation , and there was absolutely no power in the world that could have changed the outcome .

Hi. I have been struggling lately. I was just wanting to confirm that determinism is a THEORY,correct, as to ask if it has been proven? Has there been any 100% consensus as to say we don't have free will? Will we ever really know for sure? I'm sorry I'm just going through many questions right now. Determinism (in any form) has not been proven 100% correct? And all of those theories on determinism, and indeterminism, are all not confirmed correct? They're just perspectives correct? Thank you so much for any relief/ information you can give me.

On theory that I've heard for the justification of ethics and moral responsibility in a deterministic viewpoint was that they would act as a kind of "conditioning" to make society better (i.e. we reward for the hope of them doing good and the future and punish so they refrain from doing bad). Are there any arguments against this viewpoint, and are there any other arguments for moral responsibility from a deterministic perspective?

What drives all the squabbles about free will and determinism? Is it anything more than a desire to reward and to punish, especially to punish?