[imglorp]

> society without the idea of the free will would be a much more compassionate, healthier and happy.

I'm less optimistic.

What will keep people--resigned to their fate--from plopping on the couch to wait it out, as opposed to attempting something more ambitious? As someone famous said, if the outcome was certain, it wouldn't be a game; so if humans don't have some risk, some excitement, there will be no motivation.

[tjoff]

I find that argument similar to "without religion what stops you from murder and raping people?"

The absolute knowledge that free will doesn't exist doesn't really change much at all. It might give you a different outlook and, optimistically, a better understanding of different viewpoints.

If you are absolutely contempt to sit on the couch for the rest of your life nothing stops you from choosing that in a free-will world. Most of us would be bored and will try other ways to entertain our self. Whether that desire is founded on free will or just a predetermined evolutionary trait doesn't really change the outcome.

You believing in free will or not is quite irrelevant compared to the impact your surrounding has on you. It is even your surrounding that forms the basis of your belief in the first place.

[dziungles]

"What will keep people--resigned to their fate--from plopping on the couch to wait it out, as opposed to attempting something more ambitious?"

When the mind and body is in movement, when it has goals and ambitions - that all creates a good feeling for a human being. Look at kids in healthy environments. Look at kids in unorthodox schools. Look at successful entrepreneurs who keep working even after they become financially independent.

The opposite "lying in bed" doesn't stimulate the mind, nor body, is boring and depressing.

Only in today's world, where we have the concept of responsibility, we blame people if they try and fail. Or we don't create opportunities for people to learn useful skills, and then we force them (in a moral ways of course) to work in poorly paid, low status and hard labour jobs. Of course, under such conditions, many people believe that happiness is lying in bed.

[trabant00]

> What will keep people--resigned to their fate--from plopping on the couch to wait it out, as opposed to attempting somethin

I don't think this is how it works from my observations. People don't decide to couch it out based on their philosophy or the expected outcome. They may rationalize it that way but what I believe is that based on their experiences so far some people are simply driven to go out and do stuff and others don't want to do anything mostly.

And my belief is compatible with the "no free will" theory.