Discussion boards based on reading a book called .. Free Will by Sam Harris

Harris writes, “How can we be ‘free” as conscious agents if everything that we consciously intend is caused by events in our brain that we do not intend and of which we are entirely unaware? We can’t. To say that ‘my brain’ decided to think or act in a particular way, whether consciously or not, and that this is the basis for my freedom, is to ignore the very source of our belief in free will, the feeling of conscious agency. People feel that they are the authors of their thoughts and actions, and this is the only reason why there seems to be a problem of free will worth talking about” (26).

You are 26 pages into Harris’ book. What is your reaction to the quote above and what do you think about his argument so far?

On page 62, Harris writes, “We do not change ourselves, precisely–because we have only ourselves with which to do the changing–but we continually influence, and are influenced by, the world around us and the world within us. It may seem paradoxical to hold people responsible for what happens in their corner of the universe, but once we break the spell of free will, we can do this precisely to the degree that it is useful. Where people can change, we can demand that they do so. Where change is impossible, or unresponsive to demands, we can chart some other course. In improving ourselves and society, we are working directly with the forces of nature, for there is nothing but nature itself to work with” (63).

What is your reaction to the above quote? Do you agree/disagree? I’d like at least a 250-word response.