One of the classic questions philosophers consistently ask concerns an individuals ability to control their actions and choices. Do we truly have the ability to make choices for ourselves, or is our life somehow predetermined for us by some unknown force? Is there such a thing of free will?

Throughout time there have always been people who believe they are sensitive to powers unseen or unfelt by the natural world. People who claim to have see the future or future events. These are people who claim to have psychic abilities.

So, is there such a thing as free well and are there individuals who can truly see the future?

Let’s ignore any possible religious implications on either topic while discussing the question, this is purely an exercise in abstract thought.

Free will seems to be a given to most people, why wouldn’t it exist? One gets up in the morning and decides if breakfast will be scrambled eggs or chocolate chip pancakes. Both it is! Okay, so they made the decision, it wasn’t predetermined. Scholars point to such behavior to show humans are in charge of their own actions.

As the individual who just ate breakfast is walking down the street, starting her day, she passes by a storefront psychic. On a whim she says “you know what, it would be fun to see what a psychic says about my life”. She opens the door, walks in and starts listening to all the prospective and thoughts the psychic has to offer. One bit of information the psychic provides is very specific: you will have a car accident tomorrow.

Thinking nothing much of the visit to the psychic, the woman continues on with her life. She goes through the motions of her day – work, dinner, sleep – and the next day starts with no thoughts of the previous day, no thoughts of what the physic said. Instead of making breakfast, however, the young woman decides to stop at her favorite diner to pick up some French toast. While looking for a parking spot her car is nudged by another individual pulling out of the parking lot.

The psychic was right, she was in an accident.

Let’s say the psychic actually saw how this womans life was going to play out and said decision to go out to eat was going to lead to an accident. If the psychic actually saw the future, that would mean our subjects actions were predetermined, and that would imply that there is no such thing as free will. Yet, had free will existed, it would be impossible for the psychic to say “x will happen to you tomorrow” because the woman could have made the decision to avoid getting in a car. No one forced her, she did so willingly.

And there is the paradox…

If free will exists, there is no way a person could see the future. If psychics exist, there is no way true free will can exist because it would imply decisions were already determined.

I would like to believe I have control over my actions, that I am making decisions for myself, but I the question will always remain… especially with the research of physiologist Benjamin Libet. Through experimentation, Libet had shown that the unconscious mind often triggers the conscious mind into “thinking” a choice was made. In reality, the unconscious mind was making decisions for the person.

Just something to think about next time you have nothing else to keep your mind occupied.