Do Human Beings Have Free Will?

Most people tend to give an automatic, standard answer: "Yes, of course, I have free will". But....

Our entire society is built upon this belief about free will, which is particularly evident in the justice system.

However, we rarely take the time to truly examine this question. Do we actually have free will?

That is precisely what I aim to explore in this writing. Together, we will take a fresh look at this profound question.

Before attempting to answer it, we must first define what we actually mean by "free will."

At its core, free will must mean that you have the ability to exert your will and that this ability is free—meaning it is unlimited, unrestricted, and available for you to manifest at all times.

If our inquiry reveals that reality does not align with these criteria, then the answer to the question "Do we have free will?" must be no.

Okay, so far, so good.

Let’s begin our inquiry by assuming that we do, in fact, have free will. What would that entail?

It would mean that I am free to have “my will be done.” In other words, I must have the unrestricted ability to make my desires a reality. So, are we truly free to say, “My will be done” and have it manifest accordingly?

The answer to this is simple: no, of course not. We do not possess that level of power and control.

I hope you can see that if you were genuinely free to say “My will be done” and make it happen, you would be omnipotent. You would be able to command everything, shape reality at will, and manifest anything you desire instantly.

If you believe you have this kind of free will, then I challenge you to prove it. Make a miracle happen. Strike me dead as you read this. Or, if you prefer, try ending your own life simply by holding your breath. You will quickly realize that no matter how much you will it, your body will eventually override your decision.

This alone should make us question whether our will is truly free or if it is, in fact, bound by external forces beyond our control.

It’s ridiculous.

Of course, you cannot exert “my will be done.” The very idea that we possess such power is simply absurd.

So, if we take the concept of free will literally, we must conclude: No, we do not have free will.

You cannot do anything that is not already presented to you as an option by the universe. Every action you take, every decision you make, is limited by the circumstances and possibilities that exist within reality.

Thus, if we are strict with our definition, the answer is crystal clear—we do not have free will.

But the human ego resists this conclusion. It does not like the idea of being powerless, so it deceives itself. It subtly redefines free will into something more digestible—something it can still believe in.

The most common way this is done is by replacing free will with free choice. Instead of claiming we can will anything into existence, we settle for the idea that we at least have the freedom to choose between the options available to us.

But now, a new question arises: Do we truly have free choice?

Do Human Beings Have Free Choice?

Did you choose to read this text? Or was that choice actually made by me when I decided to write and publish it?

Could you have chosen to read these words if I had never written them?

Now, if you consider stopping, does that mean you made the wrong choice in the first place?

Perhaps you feel the content isn't living up to your expectations—but can you truly know that if you stop reading now?

On the other hand, if you continue reading, is it because of what I just said? If so, then your choice to continue is actually a result of my choice to write these words.

Do you see the pattern?

The Power of Asking the Right Questions

Awakening begins with questioning. The ability to ask the right questions is what exposes the subconscious assumptions that govern our actions.

A wise master once said, “The unaware life is not worth living.” And it’s true—because in an unaware life, there are no real choices.

The conditioned mind makes decisions for us. It operates based on past experiences, ingrained beliefs, and biases. It seeks to confirm its existing worldview, filtering reality through a lens of preconceptions—all without us even realizing it.

This is why asking the right questions is so crucial. But unfortunately, that’s exactly what the conditioned mind resists. It avoids uncomfortable questions because they threaten its illusion of certainty.

This is also why awakening remains a rare event.

However, the more people awaken, the harder it becomes for the conditioned mind to avoid confronting its own ignorance. And that’s what it is—ignorance. The conditioned mind clings to its ignorance, even protecting it, because deep down, it feels embarrassed by it.

The Path to Awakening

Awakening is simple: start questioning everything you’ve assumed to be real. Take your time. One question at a time is enough. But don’t stop until you’ve uncovered the final, undeniable truth.

And here’s the key: you must be 100% honest with yourself. Not 99.9%—because even the smallest room for self-deception will keep you trapped.

Be warned: complete honesty can be painful. It means admitting when you were wrong. But it is also the healing balm you’ve been searching for.

So, Do You Actually Have Free Choice?

Let’s find out.

You can never choose something that is not already presented to you as an option. Every moment, the universe offers you a range of possibilities—but are you free to choose between them?

It may seem like you are. But how do you actually make a choice? Is it habitual? Is it automatic?

Who is really choosing?

Your choices are based on what? Your decisions? Your thoughts? If so, then we must ask:

Do you have the free choice to think whatever you want?

Take a moment to ponder that.

Do you have the free choice to think whatever you want?

If you believe you do, then you must also have the free choice to stop thinking whenever you wish.

So try it now. Stop thinking for ten minutes. Or five.

Let’s make it easier—just one minute.

Can you do it?

Oops.

Why can’t you stop thinking?

Because your conditioning is thinking for you. And if your conditioned mind is choosing for you in almost every instance, then you do not have free choice at all.

This realization can be a hard pill to swallow. But there is light at the end of the tunnel—the light of consciousness.

Freedom Beyond the Conditioned Mind

Our conditioning runs the show only as long as we identify with our thoughts. As long as we believe that we are our thinking mind, we remain trapped in it.

Awakening is the process of stepping out of this identification. It is the moment we see our thoughts as something happening rather than who we are.

And when that happens, something shifts. We don’t call it "free choice" anymore. We simply call it freedom.

Freedom from the conditioned mind.

If you are reading this and resonating with it, you are already in the process of awakening. If you weren’t, these words would not make sense to you.

You are on your way toward freedom.

Keep going.