Conclusion:
In defense of free-will, before the contemporary mushrooming mass of knowledge resulting from discoveries in molecular biology, brain science and nuclear physics, along with the historical patterns established by mathematics, the physical, natural and social sciences over thousands of years, free-will and the social institutions incorporating the free-will paradigm within their structures were a rational response to the set of data known to exist. Free-will made a lot of sense in light of what was known.
As knowledge expanded and a spherical earth became an uncontested fact, the flat-earth theory was put to rest. As knowledge expanded even further and the orbiting nature of planets and satellites became uncontested fact, the earth-as-center-of-the-universe theory was also put to rest. Knowledge has given us the confidence to declare: Meat does not spontaneously produce maggots. Each of these theories represented the cutting edge of universal knowledge at some point in time. But, it is not time’s nature to stand still. As dinosaurs well know, time waits for no one. Knowledge reveals more and more knowledge. Intuition and assumption are erratic and frightfully unreliable forces. Verifiable facts and Truths endure when intuition and assumption break apart and fade away.
Free-will is a tired paradigm. It was a fierce friend providing hope and purpose for a very long time. But, this friend is weary and worn. This friend will continue to be Loved by those who knew it and lived their lives by it, but this friend, having done all we could have asked and more, seeks the rest we have all been promised at the end of our journey. Let it join its departed friends; Flat Earth, Earth’olar System and Spontaneous Generation. Let it go. Just let it go. Step through determinism’s arch and into the realm of Knowledge, Understanding, Unconditional Acceptance and Unconditional Love. Step into the parentalistic arms of tomorrow.
Either way, there will be consequences. One response will produce extinction; the other, Hope. The dilemma is: Free-will, or Determinism; which is one, and which is the other? Oddly enough, the response is not ours to determine!
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