Whether we believe we have choice—that is the fundamental human question. If we believe we have no choice, then we are victims of circumstance. If we believe we have choice, however, then we can heroically overcome our challenges. It all starts with choice.
Even if we were to hold a philosophical position of determinism, it still benefits us to act as if we have free will…to act as if we have choice. Determinism may appear logical, but it is an absurd position to live with. To not have any choice at all, to have our fates written for us—this is a belief that throws us into meaninglessness and nihilism.
When we believe we have no choice, doors close for us. We are thrown inexorably down a predestined path. When we believe we have choice, however, doors open for us. We have options. We have freedom. We have purpose. Purpose makes life worth living. Purpose gives us something to die for.
At the core of the choice problem lies a couple questions: What do we have choice over? What is in our control and what is out of our control? Let us examine these questions.
Most things external to us are outside of our control. We do not control how somebody reacts to what we say or do. Nor do we control whether it rains or not.
Some things blur the line on whether we control them or not. Some things happen by sheer chance. A person may smoke their entire life and not get cancer. Another person may not smoke, eat well, exercise regularly, and still get cancer.
Our inner experience, on the other hand, appears to be in our control. It is not dependant on the outside world. It does not blur the line. Regardless of the cards that we’re dealt by the external, we can control the internal: we can control our reactions. We can choose our thoughts. This is the fundamental premise of cognitive-behavioral therapy: that we do not have to believe our thoughts and that we can choose one thought over another.
Neuroscience, however, throws a curveball at us. Studies of the brain show us that it’s possible to predict whether someone will move their finger before they actually do. Cognitive science claims that our unconscious minds process far more information than our conscious minds are aware of—and that our decisions have been made before we are conscious of it.
But there’s a silver lining. Another study seems to indicate that we have about 200 milliseconds of conscious veto power. This study argues that while we don’t have free will, we do have free won’t.
What can we make of all this? Well, even if we have free won’t, that indicates we have some choice. We can say no to the thoughts that guide our feelings and behaviors. We can shift our established modes of thought. Saying no may be the most powerful tool we have. It’s easier to say no to a known thought than to form a free thought out of the infinite possibilities of thoughts we can have. This takes some pressure off ourselves while still maintaining a semblance of choice.
What we believe has the power to shape the quality of our lives. Whether we believe we have a choice in what we believe—that is the ultimate question.
“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.”
— Henry Ford
