Arthur Schopenhauer once said that “Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills.” Stating that free humans have free will but have no control over how we feel. Since humans were first introduced to the earth, many great minds have pondered the question of free will and often come to wildly different conclusions. There are determinists, who believe that all event are influenced by factors external to free will. There are compatibilists, who believe that free will and determinism are compatible ideas and that one can believe in both without being logically inconsistent. There are also those who believe in free will, the idea that one is always responsible for their actions. All of these three ideas are feasible and have been argued
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Many things happen that are not ones decision or is outside their control. When a baby is born they do not have any choice what family they are born into yet this has one of the greatest influences on their life. In literature, a major form of determinism is prophecy. When someone can predict that something will come true, no matter what free will is involved it is clear that this will be that person 's fate. In Macbeth, the witches give a prophecy to Macbeth greeting him with, “All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3. 53). It is unclear whether this prophecy drove Macbeth to become king through his own efforts or if this was an insight into the future but either way Macbeth’s future was determined for him. Macbeth did not ask to be given this information yet he still received it and it caused him to commit murder many times. determinism plays a role in the answer to the question of free will, taking part in situations in which ones decision is driven by influences that are not their …show more content…
Everyone has free will every time they are presented with a choice and make their decision. Even though these decisions are sometimes influenced by possible gain or societal norms, they are still free will. When Macbeth is given his prophecy, he is also given the choice of how he wishes to proceed. He could have waited to become king eventually but instead he decided that he would murder Duncan This decision is made to keep up the intensity of the play, but is still free will. When Macbeth is presented with the information that Duncan has named Malcolm as heir to the throne he says, “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down, / or else o 'erleap, / For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: / The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see” (1.4. 55-60). Even though he has been presented with his own fate Macbeth has grown impatient and because of this he makes the choice to take matters into his own hands. This is a definite example of Macbeth’s free will. Free will exists in our day to day lives and is only not present when a situation does not give a person any choice
Many things happen that are not ones decision or is outside their control. When a baby is born they do not have any choice what family they are born into yet this has one of the greatest influences on their life. In literature, a major form of determinism is prophecy. When someone can predict that something will come true, no matter what free will is involved it is clear that this will be that person 's fate. In Macbeth, the witches give a prophecy to Macbeth greeting him with, “All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3. 53). It is unclear whether this prophecy drove Macbeth to become king through his own efforts or if this was an insight into the future but either way Macbeth’s future was determined for him. Macbeth did not ask to be given this information yet he still received it and it caused him to commit murder many times. determinism plays a role in the answer to the question of free will, taking part in situations in which ones decision is driven by influences that are not their …show more content…
Everyone has free will every time they are presented with a choice and make their decision. Even though these decisions are sometimes influenced by possible gain or societal norms, they are still free will. When Macbeth is given his prophecy, he is also given the choice of how he wishes to proceed. He could have waited to become king eventually but instead he decided that he would murder Duncan This decision is made to keep up the intensity of the play, but is still free will. When Macbeth is presented with the information that Duncan has named Malcolm as heir to the throne he says, “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down, / or else o 'erleap, / For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: / The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see” (1.4. 55-60). Even though he has been presented with his own fate Macbeth has grown impatient and because of this he makes the choice to take matters into his own hands. This is a definite example of Macbeth’s free will. Free will exists in our day to day lives and is only not present when a situation does not give a person any choice