Q&A: Clarifying a Question Asked Previously
Clarifying a Question Asked Previously
Question
Honorable Rabbi, hello,
In the past I asked you a question while I was reading the book The Science of Freedom—regarding a “choice made from Heaven” in one of the intermezzos in the book.
Now I’ve come across the opening of a book
that really sharpens my question and my difficulty with the assumption that the choice has already been made from Heaven:
…since we can only perceive an action after it has already occurred (Libet) ….. I can understand that I don’t know what thought will occur next – but that that has already happened is beyond comprehension. thank you as I am in a lot of despair.
I’ve never identified with a text like this before.
The book intends to answer and shed light on this question—however, because I have no information about the author, who he is, what his approaches are (and his qualities), I’d like to avoid, as much as possible, entering into the lines of his book without some calibration of my philosophical inclination…. It seems that you’re the address…
Best regards,
Yael Baruchim 🙂
Answer
Good for you. If you identify with it, then apparently you understood it. Because I didn’t understand it, and therefore I don’t know whether I identify with it or not.
Besides, I also don’t understand why you need calibrations before reading a book. Read it, and whatever convinces you—adopt. Whatever doesn’t—don’t.
But if you want calibrations from me, I suggest you ask a specific question. In short, what exactly is required of me in this whole matter? 🙂
Discussion on Answer
(Barging in, pardon me.
“Calibrations” is probably a synonym for the “vaccination shot” that was recommended here: https://tinyurl.com/yatdtruj
“I only suggest that you watch the lecture I sent you, and try to examine my remarks when you read those essays. It’s a recommended vaccination shot that gives you directions for checking what you’re reading.”)
Yael,
I don’t understand this strange and roundabout wording. If the intention is the worn-out question about knowledge and choice, what’s the point of all these twists and turns? It has been discussed to exhaustion, and I don’t see what there is to add about it. And I also don’t understand what this has to do with Libet. If you want to hear my opinion on this question, listen to the lesson “Free Choice 3” that I gave just this morning. The Zoom recording of it will be uploaded to the site shortly. There I explain it at length.
And to the one barging in,
When there is a special need, there is value in a vaccination shot. But if someone sees a book that seems interesting to them, there is no reason at all to insist on vaccination shots before reading. Let them read, and then we can discuss it.
It’s simply another version of the question, “How does the fact that everything is known from Heaven fit together with free will?”
The woman describes her understanding of Libet’s findings—that in the brain an electrical action has already taken place before the motor action—as follows: “I can understand/accept that I don’t know which thought will be my next thought—but the fact that it has already happened / is predetermined, that I simply cannot grasp.”
That is exactly my question… how do you reconcile this contradiction?
Of course, this is a very philosophical question and maybe—as you say—it still isn’t specific… but in any case… it doesn’t hurt to ask.