Thieves, rapists and murderers may eventually wind up in prison, prompting spectators to exclaim “well, he chose these acts with his free will, let him get what he deserves.” Although modern discoveries have proven that these claims are not 100% correct, it might be wise to take another look at the subject.
Most any neuroscientist, particularly followers of physiologist Benjamin Libet, will agree that measurements of human brain signals on the level of neurons and synapses have long shown that acts of will are preceded by a buildup of neural activity in the brain. These signals can begin up to seconds before a person is consciously aware of the exercise of volition causing a person to act upon these signals, easily predetermining the action and de-bunking the theory of free will.
In contrast, Peter Tse — an associate professor of psychological and brain studies, and author of a book on the subject — has identified a neurological basis for free will in the human brain, challenging these opinions. A synapse is a structure that permits a neuron (nerve cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another cell. Mr. Tse argues that rapid synaptic re-weighting — the ability of neurons to “rewire” other neurons’ synapses — is the physical mechanism that gives humans the power to exercise free will.
Yet, no one, including Mr. Tse, can tell us we are exercising our free will. Most of us determine all our actions through a filter of previous decisions or actions that may have produced beneficial results in the past. Likewise, we may decide not to do something because of a negative response in the past. This often forms the basis of our daily actions. This is not freedom. We unconsciously act mechanically through most of our day rendering our will, but not free will. The eastern concept of samskaras aligns with modern neuroscience with regard to this assertion.
Samskara literally means that every thought leaves an impression on our astral and physical body. Our thought and emotional process is the by-product of these samskaras. They are constantly influencing us on a subconscious level. This process limits our freedom of thought and reveals a very limited thought pattern, restricting our ability to freely act, as it influences our behaviors and the choices that we make in life.
Certainly we have the will to act, but, evidently, that does not mean we are using it freely. So, the question may lie in not whether we have free will, but: are we freely using our free will?
We don’t need to be a neuroscientist to see that most of us react to life. Free will requires clear conscious awareness unhindered by past influences. It requires a kind of peace that renders us reaction-free. Only a creative act that is generative and free from the past can be considered free. Surely, it would require wisdom — a spontaneous clarity that forms this type of clear creative action.
Some spiritual practices have long developed effective ways of addressing these issues. Yoga, meditation, prayer, mantra, yajna, and even Ayurveda are attempts to modify these previous thought patterns (samskaras). Their ultimate purpose is to align our will with the will of God — a power known to create with spontaneous and clear generative action. If aspirants are successful with these methods, they come closer to the actual practice of free will.
As for Mr. Tse’s book, The Neural Basis of Free Will: Criterial Causation — it might be worth a read.