Why physics ends the free will debate is explained by Dr. Machio Kaku in this video on the Big Think site.
Dr. Kaku tells us that Newtonian Mechanics gave us determinism which says the Universe runs like a clock. What you’re going to have for your dinner tonight was predetermined at the time of the Big Bang. All behavior is predetermined according to determinism. Einstein himself was a determinist.
However, Heisenberg comes along with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle introducing uncertainty into all behavior. The position of atoms is uncertain and in fact can be in many places simultaneously.
So, what you’re going to have for diner tonight may not actually be predetermined. Einstein hated this. The uncertainty of the new physics that is.
But, this new physics or Quantum Mechanics seems to give us a certain amount of free will.
John
~Comments always welcome…
References:
- Why Physics Ends the Free Will Debate” by Michio Kaku (Michio Kaku on BigThink.com)
- BigThink.com
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