[Avodah] free will

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Eli Turkel wrote:

> Several physicists have tried to years to base free will on quantum
> mechanics. The problem with all such proofs is that even if they
> are accepted they only destroy determinism with randomization -
> not with free will. Free will implies an active choice not just
> that our actions are random rather than determined a priori

The problem here is in the word "randomization".

It seems to me that quantum mechanics does NOT replace determinism with randomization. Quantum mechanics is willing to concede that things might still be deterministic, but that they *appear* to be random, because there is nothing in this physical universe which is making the determination.

It is my feeling that whenever an apparently-random quantum event occurs, it is the deterministic result of a specific cause, but that cause is *outside* of the physical universe.

In some cases, my bechira chafshit (which is part of my neshama/nefesh/soul/whatever and is not part of this physical world) makes a decision, and this causes the quantum events in my brain to go in a certain direction, causing my free-willed hand to do this or do that.

In another famous case, although water molecules tend to move in random directions, Someone Who Is Not Of This Universe influenced the apparently-random motions of the water of the Yam Suf to go in very specific directions, allowing Bnei Yisrael to pass through.

Science thinks that the clicks of a geiger counter are random, following only the statistical rules of the half-life of the radioactivity being examined. My belief is that each and every click was caused by a quantum event which was specifically caused for that purpose. Regarding whether it was done by HaShem Himself, or by some mal'ach on His behalf, refer to previous discussions here on Hashgacha Pratis and Hashgacha Klalis.

Akiva Miller

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