"Free Will" & Poker?

[DevilFish73]

What do the "God fearing" BBPers think of "free will" and it's relationship w/ poker?

Lappin what is your spin since you are one of us that do not believe "Free will" exist?


"Feel free" to run in any direction to make this an interesting discussion...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will

[DevilFish73]

And no Scott your 500 game stats do not count for anything in this thread...

[DevilFish73]

An interesting take by our good dr fill good..

I think free-will is interesting. In your life you make decisions, but how on earth can you prove that it is free will and you aren't on a set path? Doesn't god have a plan for everyone as well? The amount of times I've heard that, usually told to someone going through a tough time in their life "God has a plan, all will be revealed" How does that mesh with god giving everyone free will? Why on earth would we need god to give us free will? How does it not make sense that at some point we have advanced beyond having to only follow our biological needs to the point where we can have mid life crisis's where we need to go out and buy a harley.

How can we ever prove that when we are making a decision our choice hasn't already been made for us? That we are on a predestined path no matter how important or life changing a decision may seem to us.

Free will is a massive cop out for people of faith imo, its how they can explain away the atrocities that a supposedly perfect god has spawned through his religion.

[ThrillCory90]

I know what free will means if we are talking about game theory or economics or something, but I still haven't figure out what it actually means in real life or in philosophy.

[Dr Fill Good]

In a game like poker, even though there are many possibilities. There is ever only one outcome. So couldn't that outcome be predetermined as well? Couldn't we be on a set path in our poker careers?

[Cambo71]

I think religion that spouts this is the only way is dangerous and if Christians say we must CHOOSE Christ for salvation then they must inherently believe in free will.

Faith I dont believe is free will, not destined, but I personally choose to have faith, either I have it or I dont. If I say tomorrow I am born again it wont make it true unless I was actually born again. I do have the free will to be receptive or not receptive to religion.

I do think spirituality and religion are definately not the same thing. I think religion is about societal control and controlling behavior not receiving enlightenment. I think going fishing or listenging to the Grateful Dead is much more worthwhile (for myself) and spiritual than going to church is.

There are many things that makes us who we are that we dont control. Are feelings we really cant control. If something pisses you, did you choose to be pissed off. But you can change your perspective that makes you not get pissed off. But overall we choose what we do and make our destinies. Even drug addicts, alcoholics and degenerate gamblers and poker players have a choice on their behavior.

I voted for free willy because I like nature and whales should be free and I am not sure if I believe would put me as one of faith which I am not. I respect everyones religions and I believe in tolerance but I also believe fundalmentalist Christianity is just one step behind fundalmentalist Islam.

If you have visted the intelligent design museum(the one off of Religiulous) where dinosaurs lived with people and believe the earth is only 5 or 6 thousand years old. I intend to offend you cuz that is too fucked up and you are totally fucking brainwashed. Jesus Christ how could you fucking believe that. (Yes I took the lord's name in vain and I will burn in hell for it.)

Free will is real but our emotions and faith we dont choose.

[pegboy1]

I respect everyones religions and I believe in tolerance but I also believe fundalmentalist Christianity is just one step behind fundalmentalist Islam.

If you have visted the intelligent design museum(the one off of Religiulous) where dinosaurs lived with people and believe the earth is only 5 or 6 thousand years old. I intend to offend you cuz that is too fucked up and you are totally fucking brainwashed. Jesus Christ how could you fucking believe that. (Yes I took the lord's name in vain and I will burn in hell for it.)

Free will is real but our emotions and faith we dont choose.

wow...you went full circle in less than one paragraph!! Nice work!!

[AdamS]

The ones who says God has a plan are generally doing so at times of a love one being lost, which is somewhat different in context as to how it's being used here.

Yes, there are a few who use it incorrectly, but there are also people who still think we never landed on the moon, Obama was born in Kenya, and you can only get Chicken Pox once. Some people can't be reasoned with.

In general, the way it should be used ion a context other than death is to say that God has a plan for us all, and it's up to us to see it through. Those who misue it usually do so out of benign reasoning. Desperate times and being overhwlemed by thigns in one's life are usually the culprit there. The problem is that the benign use becomes a crutch, which becomes an explanation for anything some do not like or understand. It's not that unusual really, as religion has been misused for everything from those tiny comforts to justification for war, death, and just about every prejudice that's ever happened, be it against race, gender, or more recently, sexual orientation.

Free will is reality. Otherwise, we would not make msitakes, we would not adjust our decisions based on mistakes, and so many other things.

[FrankJones]

I do not understand the argument. I don't mean to be obtuse or oversimplistic, but if we do not have free will, why do we punish and imprison people? If we don't have free will, then their actions are not their fault.

[Vestvik7]

Go Dmitri!

So if we do not have free will / its all faith-like?

I do not like the faith thought. I like to think I decide where I am headed and what to do with m life.