this post was submitted on 19 Apr 2025
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me_irl
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To be fair, the if you look at the scientific evidence at face value, free will and the sense of self are probably both illusions that work because our brain is not a magic computer but a survival machine. It’s made to process input and help use information to aid survival. It simplifies, cuts corners, and creates an illusion of a narrative self.
(the sense of self)
“you” are just a narrative heuristic for your brain. An effective simplification/method to make decisions based on finite data and finite computational power in a world with near infinite complexity.Got any books in this direction?
"Free Will" by Sam Harris is a good one. Also "Why Buddhism is true" by Robert Wright. If these tickled your fancy there are tons more. It's a surprisingly flourishing area of science. Also, remember, nothing of this is anything you have to believe in, it can all be tested by yourself. All very free of "woo woo". If that is something you would like to explore then I recommend Sam Harris app "Waking Up". Enjoy!