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Am I ever doing things because I can and not because I have to? Also, what mechanism determines what things I want to do because I can do them? And isn’t that mechanism then just not just another part of the machine.

Just because it feels as though I do things because I can doesn’t mean that is actually true.

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As long as you can imagine different possible futures and decide upon which one you want to try and realize, I think you have choice.

Choice stems from uncertainty, partial knowledge. It might be an illusion for an observer outside of the system, but as far as a participant within the system is concerned, there is choice, then there is free will.

I am writing this because I ca n but I don't need to do it. I have futures where I don't do that and do something more rewarding instead and still. As long as I am aware of the choices, then I have free will.

This is the compatibilist view. But if it is an illusion, then that means the "choice" is computable and a computer can create the same outcomes.

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