free will
/'fri:'wi:l/
Definition
- Noun:
- The power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies: The philosophical concept of the ability to choose, think, and act voluntarily, based on one's own discretion, without being forced by fate, divine power, or other external determinants.
Usage
- As a noun: "Free will" is typically used as an uncountable noun. It often appears in philosophical, theological, and ethical discussions about human agency, responsibility, and determinism.
- Common structures: , , .
Examples
- Noun:
- She left the company of her own free will. (She voluntarily decided to leave; no one forced her.)
- The debate centers on whether humans truly have free will or if our actions are predetermined.
- He exercises his free will in every decision, large or small.
Advanced Usage
- Philosophical/Technical Context: In philosophy, "free will" is often contrasted with determinism or divine predestination.
- The compatibilist argues that free will is compatible with causal determinism.
- Legal/Formal Context: Used to indicate voluntary action without coercion.
- The defendant participated in the study of his own free will and with informed consent.
Variants and Related Words
- Free-will (adjective, often hyphenated): Describes something done by or involving free will.
- It was a free-will offering to the charity. (A voluntary donation.)
- Will (noun): The faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action. (Note: This is a related but broader term.)
Synonyms
- Volition: The faculty or power of using one's will.
- Autonomy: Self-directing freedom and especially moral independence.
- Self-determination: The process by which a person controls their own life.
Antonyms
- Determinism: The doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will.
- Coercion: The practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats.
- Compulsion: The action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Of one's own free will: Voluntarily; without being forced.
- I came here of my own free will; no one made me.
- A triumph of free will: An achievement seen as resulting from a person's conscious choice and effort against odds.
- His recovery was less about medicine and more a triumph of free will.
Noun
-
the power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies
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