Xurtio

Well the issue is that something like shooting laser beams out your ass is physically impossible. But we're interested in whether people's motivations and decisions come from some entity (i.e. that our "self" is independent of our brain), not whether they can shoot lightning out their ass. So dividing the two processes into will vs. What you do with that will is helpful for understanding what we're really after.

For instance, we may have free will (we magically decide things in a whim) and still not be able to shoot lightning bolt out our ass, so whether or not we can shoot lightning bolts out our ass doesn't really tell us anything about free will. We still have to determine where the desire to shoot lightning bolts out our asses came from in the first place.

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DwnWthVwls

You clearly have a better understanding and knowledge about the topic than me, I'm just making observations based on your comments. You don't think there is a grey area or a need for separation between the will to do possible tasks vs impossible tasks? Would seem like poor science if there wasn't.

I assume our motivation/decision making is dealt with much differently in the brain when comparing lasers from the butt to my examples.

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Xurtio

Lasers from the butt is meant to be a stand-in for any physically impossible task. There is a need for separation, but only to isolate the two questions so that you can focus on one at a time. Otherwise people get confused and conflate the two. But the study of willpower (competition between competing brain regions) is not so philosophically difficult. We know the general idea there and just need to work out details. The question of free will is a tougher and more philosophically challenging discussion that is only just now getting scientific evidence behind it.

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Plankton

What about if I have to fart (physical restraint)? I can make the decision to let it out, or hold it in.

Religious - God will forgive me (fart)
Legal - It is legal to fart within the city limits (fart)
Ethical - It is not ethical to fart when people are close by (hold it)
Scientific - It's not healthy to hold it in (fart)

A compatibilistic approach.

I'm out.

*drops mic*

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