Introduction
The idea of free will is something I’ve thought about a lot over the years. It raises some big questions about who we are and how much control we really have over the direction of our lives.
As I’ve reflected on my own experiences, I’ve started to wonder if we actually have the freedom to make our own choices or if we’re just following a script written by our genetics, environment, and past experiences. This has led me to believe that what we often think of as free will might actually be more of an illusion.
I thought it might be interesting to share my thoughts on this and explore the idea further.
Who Am I and Why Am I Here?
I used to meditate daily on these questions and often reached a point where I would observe my thoughts starting like bubbles. My mind would then engage with them, leading to complex thinking—all happening involuntarily.
It became clear that I couldn’t fully control my mind. And if I can’t manage my thoughts, how can I believe I control my actions? It seems more likely that I’m just a product of my life experiences, with those experiences driving my decisions (and those thoughts). I have some input, sure, but that input is based on past experiences, which I never had control over in the first place.
But there’s still a lingering question: Could I have some control over the quality of those thoughts? Maybe.
Tomorrow, I could be a completely different person, depending on what happens between now and then. It feels like we’re just consequences of life.
My mind operates independently, my internal organs keep functioning without my conscious involvement, and if I had any real say in things, I’d be rich, healthy, and happy by now. Even if I could control the world around me, I’d likely be the only one left because my ideal world wouldn’t match anyone else’s.
Simulation Hypothesis by Nick Bostrom
This line of thinking brings me to the “Simulation Hypothesis,” proposed by Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom, which suggests that our reality might be an artificial simulation created by an advanced civilization. He argues that if a technologically advanced society could create highly sophisticated simulations indistinguishable from reality, it’s plausible that we could be living in one. Bostrom presents three possibilities: either civilizations never reach a point where they can create such simulations, they lose interest in running them, or we are almost certainly living in a simulation.
Essentially, if it’s possible to create simulations with conscious beings, the likelihood that we’re in the “real” base reality diminishes, leading to the intriguing possibility that our lives might be part of an elaborate virtual construct.
Spiritual Awakening or Realizing the Illusion?
In Buddhism and Hinduism, enlightenment or awakening is about realizing the true Self, often achieved through meditation. From that moment, they say you’re free—whatever that means.
I once heard enlightenment described as being like an actor in a play. Suddenly, the lights come on, and you realize you’re on stage, and there’s an audience watching. From then on, you continue acting, but you’re fully aware it’s just a play.
Advaita Vedanta talks about the world being an illusion—Maya, or “playful illusion.” When you realize this—not just believe it—you awaken to the true Self. If we see the world as an illusion, it’s not a stretch to think of it as a form of virtual reality. The resemblance is striking.
Life would continue as usual, but we would live with full awareness of who and where we really are.
Wrapping up
After all this thinking, I’m still not sure if free will is real or just something we like to believe in. Maybe we’re all just following a script, or maybe we have a bit more control than we realize. Either way, the questions are what make it interesting.
Whether we’re in a simulation, shaped by our past, or truly free, what matters is that we keep exploring and trying to figure it all out. In the end, maybe it’s the act of questioning that’s the most human thing of all.
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