- If electromagnetic forces can be used to control human behavior, then human behavior is causally determined by brain function.
- If human behavior is causally determined by brain function, then humans are not free agents.
- Therefore, if electromagnetic forces can be used to control human behavior, then humans are not free agents.
What do you make of this argument? Is it sound?
I absolutely agree with this sound argument. The video "Magnetic Mind Control" is visual proof that the mind is a causally determined system. After all, if the brain was not a causally determined system, then the case of Phineas Gage would not be how it is known to be today and the following argument would be unsound:
ReplyDelete1. If the human brain was not a causally determined system, then we would have complete control (free will) over our behavior and actions.
2. If humans had free will over our behavior and actions, then our personality would be determined by us and not external stimuli.
3. In the case of Phineas Gage, his personality was altered due to an external stimulus and if he
indeed had free will, then he could have reverted back to his old personality at any time.
4. Therefore, the brain and by extension human behavior, is a causally determined system, which renders no human a free agent.
However, this argument is sound.
We act as a result of what has already happened, whether it is a certain event or a thought. It is through our ignorance, forgetfulness, and plethora of choices that we obtain the feeling of free will. At the end of the day, we make only one choice out of all the choices we had as a result of what has already occurred. If we lived through different events and thoughts before making the same decision, then our choices would be different, which would eventually lead to a different life. This shows that all our decisions are determined by what has already happened in our lives and that we are not free agents.