It feels like we have free will
We are all born with a perception that we live our lives with free will.
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The Argument
We are “built” to have the impression that we consciously control our actions or to have the power to freely choose, even if is just a cognitive illusion.[1] Mark Hallett, a researcher with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said, “Free will does exist, but it’s a perception, not a power or a driving force. People experience free will. They have the sense they are free.”[2]
Today, for example, the assumption of free will runs through every aspect of American politics, from welfare provision to criminal law. It permeates the popular culture and underpins the American dream—the belief that anyone can make something of themselves no matter what their start in life.[3]
Counter arguments
Just because we believe we have free will doesn't mean it is the truth. “The more you scrutinize it, the more you realize you don’t have it.”[2]
Premises
[P1] It feels as if we have free will.
[P2] Therefore, it must be true.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P2] This is not necessarily the case.