240207 What I learned in my studies this morning 4

Today's Meditation(s):

Been thinking about free will today. Got a sample for Daniel Dennett's new book with Gregg Caruso, Just Deserts: Debating Free Will, and read through the intro and part of Chapter 1.

(I did my master's thesis about consciousness and, of course, Dennett was a huge part of that.)

I also read the sample for Good Inside, a parenting book by Dr. Becky Kennedy. In the limited scope of the intro and first chapter, I noticed some Stoic(-ish) ideas like rejecting rash judgment when reacting to events and assuming that people are rational and bad actions are caused by mistaken beliefs.

Together, it's an interesting mix of ideas floating in my head tonight.

The Stoics believed in a providential universe. Everything is guided for the best. And they believed in free will compatiblism.

(From Seneca and His World by Elizabeth Asmis, Shadi Bartsch, and Martha C. Nussbaum, prefacatory remarks to Graver and Long's version of Seneca's Letters.)

How does this affect parenting? We do our best to raise resilient children who will do good in the world. If free will is true, this makes perfect sense. We have to train them to pass their animal nature and grow into a moral person.

If free will is mistaken . . . then what? Are we simply destined to raise or not raise our children morally? Choice be damned?

But what of things like science showing how brainwaves indicating a decision show up measurably prior to our conscious knowledge of making that decision?

So much more to read and consider and understand....