agency

I do not believe in free will. How can the river flow itself? I do however believe in probability.

There is a version of agency which contradicts neither the randomness of the universe nor the agency we feel in our daily lives.

You turn the cage...

... and release the tiger

There is probably a lot more consequence to the molecular randomness in the endocrine system than the quantum randomness of electrons in the brain. This interplay can conceivably give way to all kinds of situation, but in general it means the nervous system plans and the endocrine system plays.

You learn from the behaviour of the tiger and adapt each time. Leave the keys by the door. Buy apples instead of chocolate. Make sure there’s no alcohol in the house. Carry a knife for protection. You can see how this could go bad.

This model gives you free will but also accepts the reality that sometimes the fates aren’t aligned; the tiger won’t play ball. All we control is the cage.

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