Free will

There is a lot of intensive debate about defining what free will is.

When asked, many will explain that free will has an important distinction–whether or not participants can resist outside influences.

If you believe in free action, you also tend to believe that you can resist the pressure of outside forces.

If you don’t, then you tend to believe that you didn’t (can’t?) act against outside forces.

But these are incredibly narrow views of free will.

We don’t know the internal motivation of people. And following the pressure of a crowd may well be a good thing. (I’m grateful it is common practice to wash your hands before prepping food.)

External pressures are not the root of free will. Free will is about autonomy regardless of outside forces.

The environment dictates so many of our choices, who knows how much free will each of us have? I do know that life is better when we choose to exercise our influence. No matter how small.