I do not believe in free will. How can the hand shape itself? I do however believe in probability.
There is a version of agency which neither contradicts the inherent randomness of the universe’s nor the agency we feel in our daily lives.
The tiger is caged.
The handler turns the cage.
The tiger breaks free.
There is a lot more consequence to the randomness in the endocrine system than the quantum randomness of electrons in the brain (I think!). 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.
The handler learns from the behaviour of the tiger and adapts each time. Leaves the keys by the door. Buys apples instead of chocolate. Makes sure there’s no alcohol in the house. Carries 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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