Superficial Thoughts on Free Will
Friends, let's assume that free will is the capability to choose. Choice in return is limited by knowledge and knowledge is limited by the brain. Hence, one's own brain is the limit of free will ? This doesn't seem like free will.
Let's take another assumption to reach a different hypothesis - free will is the right to varied experiences. To understand this let's look at some additional aspects of free will - I think one can highlight at least 4 levels/layers of brain activity. It is important to note that all the four layers of the brain work 'simultaneously'.
The lower layer is that which ensures consciousness. This layer provides no choices - its critical job is to ensure survival.
The second layer is that which stores information and experience for guidance in future.
The third layer is that of predisposition, it is guided by body chemistry which is further guided by genetic material to understand likings (the colour you like, the taste you hate etc.).
Fourth layer is that which does not work for survival and provides the possibility of doing something with time at hand (this is still not free will).
Now remember that all four layers are simultaneously working. So the first three layers will guide one to ensure survival, provide experiential data and explain pre-dispositions, thereby taking away some part of scope of what can be done. The left off area/scope is the action area.
Now in this left off scope there are two types of actions one can take - (a) re-experience that which is known to provide good feeling (from layers 2 & 3) or (b) experience something new.
Could this choice be free will?
This choice too has patterns - the tendency of most humans is to reduce new experiences with age. As a child one wants to learn and experience more and more. But as one grows one gathers enough experience to survive in the world. So some decide just to survive, use the free time to re-experience what already is known to provide positive experience (hence be 'happy') while others (few) keep on risking time to have newer experiences (which may or may not be positive).
So what's good about the latter - they keep on expanding their knowledge with newer experiences. Now the earlier first deduction of choices comes into play - the more the knowledge the more are choices.
Therefore, I hypothesize - Free will is the choice of a human being to either re-experience known phenomena or risk experiencing newer phenomena so as to increase the variety of choices and hence increase the scope of free will.
