Is there such a thing as free will? The previous query has been hotly debated by a multitude of erudite philosophers and scientists throughout the annals of history. Even after years of analysis and consideration, using both scientific and philosophical approaches, an actual solution has never been brought to light. Is it because there is no evidence to be unearthed, or is humankind merely not able to process the mind-boggling truth that everything is and will always be predetermined?

Free will is often thought to be a matter of common sense. Some may claim, for example, that they picked what they ate for breakfast this morning, and thus possess free will. It never occurs to them that another external factor may have impacted their decision, indicating that their conclusion was predetermined. One may have chosen the aforementioned option on their own, but they would have been unable to make that decision if not for an external component from their surrounding culture or environment.

What many fail to comprehend is that determinism does not imply that there is a rule book for every occurrence that has occurred or will occur in the future. Determinism, in actuality, may be regarded as something that occurs subconsciously or possibly in an ontological manner.

To truly understand the complicated nature of free will, we must first take into consideration that there may not even be an answer in the first place. That randomness cannot be predicted and thus cannot be determined. Determinism is contradictory to what it means to be human; to have genuine autonomy. This is because every action one may ever execute would be predetermined. If that were proven correct, should anyone actually be punished for their actions, such as theft, discrimination, or even murder? External factors and influences certainly have an impact on an individual. However, that does not mean it is all that defines them; nature versus nurture disproved that argument long ago. Free will means that we make choices based on what we experentially identify with. Our choices, whether they are insignificant or exceedingly paramount, are all expressions of the self. Without the self, can anybody even call themselves alive?

By and large, while determinism may have some basis in fact, even the mere notion that society at large is an utterly predetermined routine is practically inconceivable. Responsibility must be upheld in society, and thus everyone must, at least in the eyes of the law, have free will. Therefore, even if everything is predetermined, mankind is better off believing in it nonetheless.