Are we in control of our decisions?

[quatona]

Just wanted to share this link. I found it interesting and humorously presented:
Dan Ariely asks, Are we in control of our own decisions? | Video on TED.com

 

[Davian]

Apparently not. Oh well.



Interesting video, though - thanks. I have been slowly working my way through the TED talks but had not see this one yet.

 

[juvenissun]

Just wanted to share this link. I found it interesting and humorously presented:
Dan Ariely asks, Are we in control of our own decisions? | Video on TED.com

That is why we need God.

This illustrated one of the very reason I chose religion about 30 years ago. I found that I could not trust myself.

But, to your question on the title: Yes, we do make our own decision, even it is likely to be a wrong one. This talk proves it.

 

[quatona]

That is why we need God.

This illustrated one of the very reason I chose religion about 30 years ago. I found that I could not trust myself.

As long as you are aware of the irony in your post....

But, to your question on the title: Yes, we do make our own decision, even it is likely to be a wrong one. This talk proves it.

How so?

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Sorry I dont have the patience for 17 minutes of talk. Could anyone summarise the main points?

 

[juvenissun]

As long as you are aware of the irony in your post....


How so?

People try to cheat you. It you got cheated, that is because of YOU, not because of any one else. YOU need to take the responsibility of that mistake.

Just like you get a computer virus from a download. You are the one made the decision.

 

[quatona]

People try to cheat you. It you got cheated, that is because of YOU, not because of any one else. YOU need to take the responsibility of that mistake.

Just like you get a computer virus from a download. You are the one made the decision.

Your opinion is noted. I, however, was asking how exactly it is proven right - as you claimed - by "this talk".

 

[Exiledoomsayer]

People try to cheat you. It you got cheated, that is because of YOU, not because of any one else. YOU need to take the responsibility of that mistake.

Just like you get a computer virus from a download. You are the one made the decision.

I was thinking about this lately. It seems to me a bit like..
"If somebody mugged you, its because of YOU. You need to take responsibility for being an easy target."

It seems to me to be a gross oversight to pin the blame on the victem at all times. While giving no 'credit' to the attacker.

We think being physically beaten is the fault of the agressor, not your fault for not being stronger.
But being mentally beaten is your fault for not being smarter.

 

[juvenissun]

Your opinion is noted. I, however, was asking how exactly it is proven right - as you claimed - by "this talk".

I don't know how to prove it. Basically, I don't know what to prove.

So, what is the problem?

 

[juvenissun]

I was thinking about this lately. It seems to me a bit like..
"If somebody mugged you, its because of YOU. You need to take responsibility for being an easy target."

It seems to me to be a gross oversight to pin the blame on the victem at all times. While giving no 'credit' to the attacker.

We think being physically beaten is the fault of the agressor, not your fault for not being stronger.
But being mentally beaten is your fault for not being smarter.

Good point. I have no answer to that.

For me, I would treat any physical defeat as my own problem, and learn how to deal with the situation the next time.

 

[quatona]

I don't know how to prove it. Basically, I don't know what to prove.

So, what is the problem?

The problem is that you said "But, to your question on the title: Yes, we do make our own decision, even it is likely to be a wrong one. This talk proves it." (emphasis added), and that I failed to see how it did, and asked you to explain.
An additional problem came up when you felt you had to prove something and didn´t know what it was (see your quote above) - while actually it wasn´t me asking you to prove anything but merely requesting you to substantiate how something has been proven in the way you ex cathedra claimed it was proven.

 

[GrayAngel]

Very interesting. Thanks for the link. Of course, if you've seen many of my posts, you know that I believe in predestination because it is what the Bible teaches. So I take this as further confirmation.

 

[juvenissun]

The problem is that you said "But, to your question on the title: Yes, we do make our own decision, even it is likely to be a wrong one. This talk proves it." (emphasis added), and that I failed to see how it did, and asked you to explain.
An additional problem came up when you felt you had to prove something and didn´t know what it was (see your quote above) - while actually it wasn´t me asking you to prove anything but merely requesting you to substantiate how something has been proven in the way you ex cathedra claimed it was proven.

I take your question as a request to have a math or logic "proof" to what I said. And I am not going to do that. It does not worth the trouble.

So, here is a versions of a not-so-rigorous one:

A survey which tricked you to make an intended choice.
You fell into the trick.
Who is in control of your decision?
Definitely YOU !

Your OP only posed a question. Is my answer also your answer?

 

[quatona]

I take your question as a request to have a math or logic "proof" to what I said. And I am not going to do that. It does not worth the trouble.

Well, it wasn´t me who started the "proof" thing.

So, here is a versions of a not-so-rigorous one:

A survey which tricked you to make an intended choice.
You fell into the trick.
Who is in control of your decision?
Definitely YOU !

"Not so rigorous"?
I don´t even see the attempt of a substantiation, argument, deduction or induction. I just see you giving your opinion.

Your OP only posed a question. Is my answer also your answer?

No.

 

[quatona]

Very interesting. Thanks for the link. Of course, if you've seen many of my posts, you know that I believe in predestination because it is what the Bible teaches. So I take this as further confirmation.

I fail to see how the examples given in the video can possibly make any case for predestination.
But I think it´s interesting that you and Juvenissun both find their contrary positions confirmed by it.

 

[Forgiven828]

Good video. I loved the part where he animated the lines on the tables to show that they indeed were the same length, then after taking the lines away said something to the effect of "we haven't learned anything in the last minute have we?" Too funny! But so true.

 

[quatona]

Good video. I loved the part where he animated the lines on the tables to show that they indeed were the same length, then after taking the lines away said something to the effect of "we haven't learned anything in the last minute have we?" Too funny! But so true.

Yeah - but that was different when he left the field of optical illusions, wasn´t it? E.g. after he had explained the effect of the (seemingly irrelevant) third option, we could look at the issue again and did have learned something.

 

[variant]

If we are not in control of our decisions, we are not in control of whether we think we are in control of our decisions.

 

[GrayAngel]

I fail to see how the examples given in the video can possibly make any case for predestination.
But I think it´s interesting that you and Juvenissun both find their contrary positions confirmed by it.

Predestination, in its purest form, means we have no control over our actions. What we do is determined by external factors. Though the video was mostly about our lack of reasoning ability, I can see it being used to support the idea that we lack free will. If my choosing whether or not to be an organ donor is determined by the default option, that's an external cause determining my action. Of course, there are the few who deviated from the norm, but I'd suspect they had some other external factor to explain their decision. Maybe they have a relative whose in need of a heart transplant, or something.

I don't see how someone could watch the video and think it supports free will. The whole point of it was to show how little control we have, despite the illusion we have in our heads that we are in control.

 

[Davian]

I fail to see how the examples given in the video can possibly make any case for predestination.
But I think it´s interesting that you and Juvenissun both find their contrary positions confirmed by it.

Agreed. I went and watched the video again to be sure I hadn't missed something.

Predestination, in its purest form, means we have no control over our actions. What we do is determined by external factors. Though the video was mostly about our lack of reasoning ability, I can see it being used to support the idea that we lack free will. If my choosing whether or not to be an organ donor is determined by the default option, that's an external cause determining my action. Of course, there are the few who deviated from the norm, but I'd suspect they had some other external factor to explain their decision. Maybe they have a relative whose in need of a heart transplant, or something.

I don't see how someone could watch the video and think it supports free will. The whole point of it was to show how little control we have, despite the illusion we have in our heads that we are in control.

Perhaps you should be using the word 'determinism' in place of 'predestination'.