# Free will is a persistent illusion

**URL:** <https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/free-will-is-a-persistent-illusion/7719>\
**Category:** Philosophy\
**Created:** [January 2, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/free-will-is-a-persistent-illusion/7719 "2021-01-02T15:59:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 46

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**Author:** ![write4u](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/write4u/32/23410_2.png) [@write4u](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/write4u)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/free-will-is-a-persistent-illusion/7719/46 "2021-08-18T19:26:15Z")

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> [@citizenschallengev4](#):
>
> Right, and that’s a cause (sun, gravity, and resource availability) effect (golden ratio, _which I hear isn’t exact at all - but falls into the close enough category._ ) relationship.

I would be inclined to say natural mathematical functions are not causal to an event but causal to how events “unfold”.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/centerforinquiry/original/1X/dde5304d5c19a31e0d99df2d2b9b0f9ab35e9bdc.png)  
_Schematic depiction of a function described metaphorically as a “machine” or “[black box](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_box)” that for each input yields a corresponding output_

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