Free
Will
“Life
is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the
way you play it is free will.”
Jawaharial
Nehru
There
is much discussion these days about the deterministic control of our
genes and our early experiences. Now that we've mapped the human
genome, we can say which genes control everything from eye color to
our predisposition to certain diseases and disorders. Clearly, if
there is a family history of heart disease or mental illness, we are more likely to
develop it. Likewise, if we grew up in poverty, we are less likely to
be successful in all of life than someone who grew up in plenty. But, many
factors affect whether these two determinants express themselves, or
never manifest, over time. Overall good physical and mental health
plays a role in whether or not our predisposed ailments show up. And
opportunities present themselves even in cases of extreme social
disadvantage. We know that education and other positive influences
can altar outcome in both areas. Having just one person who supports us may change our life trajectory, and believing in ourselves is
pivotal.
Sometimes
we cannot altar an outcome. Certain genes will cause ailments no
mater what we do, and the neural networks laid down in our early years will always exert strong influence on our behavior. But we
still have the advantage of free will—if nothing else, we can
choose how we handle whatever life brings. We can become
pessimistic and cynical, or we can hold on to optimism and trust. We
can fall into the stereotypical behaviors associated with our socioeconomic circumstances, or we can do the hard work of rising above. We can
respond to our predisposed genetic heritage with a fighting spirit,
or we can become morose and give up. Free will is a gift that often
goes unrecognized. We are not automatons, programmed by genetic
heritage and social conditions. We can choose our response.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment