[baq]

I subscribe to the ‘qualia is atoms in a trenchcoat’ school of philosophy personally, but I understand that it might be hard to accept and even harder to not be depressed about it.

[amanaplanacanal]

Well sure. As best we can tell the whole universe is a mechanical cause and effect chain, and the illusion of free will is just that, an illusion.

Or possibly... There is something else going on, and we just haven't figured it what it is yet. I'm not betting either way at this point.