Free Will Research Paper

Do we have Genuine Free Will or Do we have Radical Free Will?
In terms of free will, Jean-Paul Sartre’s “radical” opinion on free will is one of truth and axiom. Humans have the desire to perform actions. These actions can be deliberated on prior to performance, or they can be spontaneous. Nevertheless, the action is fulfilled by a choice made by the operant. That being said, any person has a decision to make when it comes to actions they participate in.
That’s where the consciousness (the little voice heard within your head) plays a part. This consciousness, or “body manager” allows for the freedom to do and choose as one wishes using thoughts originating within one’s brain. The only time someone is unable to deliberate a choice is when …show more content…
One of the largest arguments against radical free will is any alteration/influence of the mental state altering one’s ability to make proper decisions. Not only from external forces, but from one’s subjectivity to illness and ever-changing bodily functions. Take for example depression, a large spread mental illness commonly recognized in today’s society. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 16 million people suffered from depression in the United States. That is roughly 6.9% of all Americans as of 2012. Given there is only 323 million people in the United States, depression is a commonality for someone to subjectively experience. Like depression, there can be other influences such as food intake which in turn alters blood chemistry. Now regardless of how silly it may sound, there have been cases of sugary junk food causing an influx in the blood levels. This discombobulation thus creating a sporadic, often catastrophic back lash from the disturbed equilibria in the blood. The Genuine Free Will supporters would say that the intake of sugary foods altered the blood, which in turn forced someone to act out of character. The supporters have presented the external force argument among the justice system. An example of where this justification was upheld (in favor of the external force promoting negativity) occurred in the case commonly referred to as “The Twinkie Defense”. Dan White, a convicted killer, an "all-American boy" let go too soon. When Dan White was fired from his job in 1978, he decided to take his aggression out on both the mayor of San Francisco; George Moscone, in addition to his supervisor Harvey Milk. This all came after Dan's plea to get his job back when the newly-opened restaurant gig went under. Dan White fell into a deep depression that forced Dan to indulge in food. In this case, a particularly unhealthy food:

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