Hi Robert, this is an immensely powerful expression of your position, which I find very moving. Have you thought of posting a link to it as a new post on 'Trick's No Free Will Facebook group? (I'm John Freestone.) I think your words would be a tremendous asset there. There are many struggling to get their heads around the NFW position, and another set who think they've got it, but hold various of those "spiritual" views about consciousness or God-The-Universe or what have you.
I think it's important (from my perspective, obviously!) that we think very carefully about certain decisions and choices, and I say we do make choices, althought the mechanism is exactly as you describe, down to prior causes I didn't choose. But that's not the same as the "dithering", or the worry, or self-recrimination, or blame, that you rightly advise we become freer of with this viewpoint.
Without meaning to denigrate David Matt's clear narrative style, I think these audiobook extracts would be even better read by your good self, since I'm sure (having watched some of your videos) you would emphasize certain words and phrases differently, you have a wonderfully rich voice, and probably nobody else can convey quite the same depth of meaning as I heard in your reading of another chapter.
I'm happy to hear that, John. I like this chapter too.
I did a reading of my first book which is available from New Sarum Press, my publisher.
I'm 100 percent pleased that David has taken this on. Depending On No-Thing is a large project--over 600 pages to read and record. It's perfect. David knows and understands my work. I like his voice. And I have other priorities these days.
I did log on to and joined the NFW group. I posted a chapter from The Ten Thousand Things, that a few people commented on. Maybe you were one of them. I've stopped checking in there. I find the contentious tone off-putting. I am not debater. But even more to the point, the FW question does not much interest me.
Asking, "Do we have free will or not?," unavoidably creates a red herring. In the first place, any useful answer depends on what is meant by free will and what is meant by "we." After that, it's turtles all the way down.
Anyway, how one answers that question seems largely irrelevant to what one actually feels, thinks, and does. In each moment, things are as they are, regardless of whether one believes that choice played a part or one believes that all of this just arises as it must, including any conjectures about "free will."
Thanks, Robert. I'm disappointed you're not going to be an active 'debater' at NFW, but that's probably wise, or at least each to their own. I rather enjoy a good argument, and I learn a lot through those. I will post a link to this page, which I think could stimulate some aha moments there.
If it appears a bit too spammy to post the link yourself, I'm eager to. I guess this being public, I don't have to ask, but now I've got this far, would you mind if I did? :D (Mind? You're an awakened being!)
I sincerely appreciate your writing, Robert, and listening to these excerpts is a great reminder of how things seem to be.Sometimes I wonder why most people find it so difficult to understand our position in life. For me, when I can truly and completely let go of the sense of personal authorship, I find it so liberating. No pride, no guilt. Just what happens as it happens.
Hi Robert, this is an immensely powerful expression of your position, which I find very moving. Have you thought of posting a link to it as a new post on 'Trick's No Free Will Facebook group? (I'm John Freestone.) I think your words would be a tremendous asset there. There are many struggling to get their heads around the NFW position, and another set who think they've got it, but hold various of those "spiritual" views about consciousness or God-The-Universe or what have you.
I think it's important (from my perspective, obviously!) that we think very carefully about certain decisions and choices, and I say we do make choices, althought the mechanism is exactly as you describe, down to prior causes I didn't choose. But that's not the same as the "dithering", or the worry, or self-recrimination, or blame, that you rightly advise we become freer of with this viewpoint.
Without meaning to denigrate David Matt's clear narrative style, I think these audiobook extracts would be even better read by your good self, since I'm sure (having watched some of your videos) you would emphasize certain words and phrases differently, you have a wonderfully rich voice, and probably nobody else can convey quite the same depth of meaning as I heard in your reading of another chapter.
I'm happy to hear that, John. I like this chapter too.
I did a reading of my first book which is available from New Sarum Press, my publisher.
I'm 100 percent pleased that David has taken this on. Depending On No-Thing is a large project--over 600 pages to read and record. It's perfect. David knows and understands my work. I like his voice. And I have other priorities these days.
I did log on to and joined the NFW group. I posted a chapter from The Ten Thousand Things, that a few people commented on. Maybe you were one of them. I've stopped checking in there. I find the contentious tone off-putting. I am not debater. But even more to the point, the FW question does not much interest me.
Asking, "Do we have free will or not?," unavoidably creates a red herring. In the first place, any useful answer depends on what is meant by free will and what is meant by "we." After that, it's turtles all the way down.
Anyway, how one answers that question seems largely irrelevant to what one actually feels, thinks, and does. In each moment, things are as they are, regardless of whether one believes that choice played a part or one believes that all of this just arises as it must, including any conjectures about "free will."
Thanks, Robert. I'm disappointed you're not going to be an active 'debater' at NFW, but that's probably wise, or at least each to their own. I rather enjoy a good argument, and I learn a lot through those. I will post a link to this page, which I think could stimulate some aha moments there.
If it appears a bit too spammy to post the link yourself, I'm eager to. I guess this being public, I don't have to ask, but now I've got this far, would you mind if I did? :D (Mind? You're an awakened being!)
Feel free to repost anything you find here, John.
I sincerely appreciate your writing, Robert, and listening to these excerpts is a great reminder of how things seem to be.Sometimes I wonder why most people find it so difficult to understand our position in life. For me, when I can truly and completely let go of the sense of personal authorship, I find it so liberating. No pride, no guilt. Just what happens as it happens.