BurgDE

Dear Kharakov,

I am not sure I understand your point. Are you suggesting something similar to Berkeley's idea that all of reality consists of mental events?

Still, I think the concept that we are driven by our desires is an over simplification of our experience. For example, I choose to take my daughter to an ice cream shop inspite of being tired -- not because of my desire (I don't want to get an ice cream), but because of what I think are the desires of my daughter.

To some extent everyone believes in "free-will". Otherwise, our justice system is a complete mockery. If a person's actions are determined by events beyound his control, then it is wrong to punish anyone. True, we are moulded by our experiences and circumstances. And our genetics place limits on our capabilities. But deep down don't we reject the idea that we are "victums". Don't we expect a person to take responsibility for the choices he/she makes, for the life he/she leads?

Shouldn't we take our almost universal experience of being able to make choices as a "datum" that needs to be explained? It is intellectually dishonest to discount our experience of "free-will" as an illusion because it does not fit in with a deterministic, physical explanation of our existence.