LSI Blog - Monday, July 26, 2010
Scientists Investigate Free Will
Some research suggests our subconscious minds
can control our actions.
Summary: Since ancient times philosophers have wondered whether or
not humans really have free will. Do forces such as God or molecular
interactions ultimately control everything so that humans cannot make
actual independent decisions?
Some scientists believe recent research does support the idea that we
cannot really make up our own minds, at least in the way we think. In the
July Science journal, Rudd Custers and Henk Aarts of Utrecht U. in the
Netherlands suggest our subconscious thoughts can influence our goals
and motivations much more than scientists previously could have imaged.
"Although it is often taken for granted that goal pursuit originates in
conscious decisions, it can also arise from unconscious sources,” they
wrote.
Custers and Aarts said recent findings show the human brain is often
ahead of its owner, preparing for action before any conscious thoughts
instruct it to do so. They cited work by researchers such as Jon Bargh of
Yale and Peter Gollwitzer at New York U. In this study students did better
on language puzzles when achievement words such as "win" or "achieve"
were part of the test.
Custer and Aarts theorize that our brains are designed for action,
continually processing information relevant to our behavior so that they
can instruct us on how to deal with opportunities and challenges. Earlier
research, they said, indicated action goals, such as moving a finger, are
unconsciously prepared before they are acted on. In other words, the
unconscious nature of the will has a pervasive impact on our lives.
To read the entire article, click on WORLD SCIENCE.
Comment: It would be a sad state of affairs if society ever reaches the
point where people are no longer held accountable for their actions.
Murderers, misbehaving students, tax dodgers, etc. could use excuses
such as "my genes made me do it" or "my subconscious brain led me to
act the way I did." On the other hand, Nobel prizes, good report cards
and other awards could then be withheld on the basis that people were
only acting the way they were programmed.
When it comes to our spiritual lives and eternal destiny, the matter of free
will is, of course, extremely important. Edward W. A. Koehler writes in
Chapter XXII of his A Summary of Christian Doctrine:
God endowed man with a will. Natural man, therefore, can will something. But
this will never acts on its own initiative, for every intelligent voluntary
act is stimulated by some consideration or motive, by some idea and its
resultant emotion. However, there is absolutely nothing in the mind and heart
of natural man that could possibly incline his will toward God.
God said in Gen. 8:21, "every inclination of (man's) heart is evil from
childhood." St. Paul writes in Romans 8:5, "Those who live according to
the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires." See
also Gal. 5:19-21 , Ephesians 2:1-3, and Ephesians 4:22. Even though
we are being influenced by our sinful natures, we will be held accountable
for our sins because according to Ezekiel 18:4, "the soul who sins is the
one who will die."
The good news is that Jesus though He was sinless Himself has died in
our place, and the Holy Spirit comes to us offering forgiveness and salvation.
While we can resist Him (Acts 7:51), we do not have the ability
to accept Him into our hearts. This is entirely God's doing. St. Paul says
in 1 Cor. 12:3, "no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit."
Jesus says in John 6:44. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent
me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." See also
1 Cor. 6:11, John 1:12-13, and 1 Peter 1:23. Thank God that He has
done for us what we cannot do for ourselves: washing away our sins and
converting us.
Scientists Investigate Free Will
Some research suggests our subconscious minds
can control our actions.
Summary: Since ancient times philosophers have wondered whether or
not humans really have free will. Do forces such as God or molecular
interactions ultimately control everything so that humans cannot make
actual independent decisions?
Some scientists believe recent research does support the idea that we
cannot really make up our own minds, at least in the way we think. In the
July Science journal, Rudd Custers and Henk Aarts of Utrecht U. in the
Netherlands suggest our subconscious thoughts can influence our goals
and motivations much more than scientists previously could have imaged.
"Although it is often taken for granted that goal pursuit originates in
conscious decisions, it can also arise from unconscious sources,” they
wrote.
Custers and Aarts said recent findings show the human brain is often
ahead of its owner, preparing for action before any conscious thoughts
instruct it to do so. They cited work by researchers such as Jon Bargh of
Yale and Peter Gollwitzer at New York U. In this study students did better
on language puzzles when achievement words such as "win" or "achieve"
were part of the test.
Custer and Aarts theorize that our brains are designed for action,
continually processing information relevant to our behavior so that they
can instruct us on how to deal with opportunities and challenges. Earlier
research, they said, indicated action goals, such as moving a finger, are
unconsciously prepared before they are acted on. In other words, the
unconscious nature of the will has a pervasive impact on our lives.
To read the entire article, click on WORLD SCIENCE.
Comment: It would be a sad state of affairs if society ever reaches the
point where people are no longer held accountable for their actions.
Murderers, misbehaving students, tax dodgers, etc. could use excuses
such as "my genes made me do it" or "my subconscious brain led me to
act the way I did." On the other hand, Nobel prizes, good report cards
and other awards could then be withheld on the basis that people were
only acting the way they were programmed.
When it comes to our spiritual lives and eternal destiny, the matter of free
will is, of course, extremely important. Edward W. A. Koehler writes in
Chapter XXII of his A Summary of Christian Doctrine:
God endowed man with a will. Natural man, therefore, can will something. But
this will never acts on its own initiative, for every intelligent voluntary
act is stimulated by some consideration or motive, by some idea and its
resultant emotion. However, there is absolutely nothing in the mind and heart
of natural man that could possibly incline his will toward God.
God said in Gen. 8:21, "every inclination of (man's) heart is evil from
childhood." St. Paul writes in Romans 8:5, "Those who live according to
the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires." See
also Gal. 5:19-21 , Ephesians 2:1-3, and Ephesians 4:22. Even though
we are being influenced by our sinful natures, we will be held accountable
for our sins because according to Ezekiel 18:4, "the soul who sins is the
one who will die."
The good news is that Jesus though He was sinless Himself has died in
our place, and the Holy Spirit comes to us offering forgiveness and salvation.
While we can resist Him (Acts 7:51), we do not have the ability
to accept Him into our hearts. This is entirely God's doing. St. Paul says
in 1 Cor. 12:3, "no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit."
Jesus says in John 6:44. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent
me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." See also
1 Cor. 6:11, John 1:12-13, and 1 Peter 1:23. Thank God that He has
done for us what we cannot do for ourselves: washing away our sins and
converting us.
