We contemplate whether we can are ever free. I think it has extremely strong correlation to randomness. Think about it, predictability makes one think that everything has been predestined, that is, all the events were afore-decided by a Supreme Being. Whereas non-predictability or randomness is what defines choices. Surprised to hear choices are what define randomness? Perhaps you are skeptical that the outcome of a coin toss, a throw of the dice is decided by choices. Well, yes, the coin toss and the throw of the dice are not controlled by choices, but that is because these events are not completely random. In fact, if you could had information of the conditions such as air flow, force of throw, shape of dice/coin, angular momentum, angle of force application, you could theoretically calculate exactly how the coin would spin, and how exactly in would land. In other words, if you knew enough information, you could actually calculate the outcome of coin toss. In other words, the outcome of the coin toss is no longer random. It is predictable. The only reason why it appears random to us is because no one alive or dead has been able to calculate this. Because so many minute factors are involved in the physics of the flight of the coin, there would be so many calculations involved that even the fastest supercomputer on Earth would blow up.

On the contrary to what other people think, I believe choices truly defines a random outcome. Consider 2 piles of carrots that are equidistant to a donkey, one on his left, the other on his right. The donkey could either choose the pile on his left, or choose the pile on his right. Both piles are equally tasty to him, and hence he has no extra incentive to favour any pile over the other. So we set up this situation and we observe that the donkey chose the left one. In this case, the outcome will be truly unpredictable, because it is up to the donkey to make a choice. This test would be even more reliable than a coin toss for randomness. If we set up the situation again, the donkey could have chosen the right one this time. One could conceivably conduct this a hundred times, or a million times and still cannot predict accurately the next outcome.

That is of course assuming that the donkey has no directional favourite. And so we proceed to define a free choice. Because our choices are most of time affected by factors such as emotions, desire, and personal purposes, we are no longer unpredictable. We become predictable. I could predict with almost 100% accuracy if I whack kyan hard on the head, she would hit back with 3 times the force. We know she has the choice of either not hitting me or hitting me. But we already know what is her choice because, her choice in this case is coloured by her emotions. Revenge or just irritation in this case.

And so we discover that we are actually imprisoned by our emotions. We are no longer free under influence of our emotions and we are easily manipulated by other people. Though we continue to make choices, our choices are already predetermined. Slaves, in other words, to our fears and desires.

We come at last to defining free choice. Free choice is only possible when we free ourselves from our fears, our desires and our personal purposes. We are spontaneous when we make free choices because the outcome is random. No one will then able limit us, for they cannot predict what comes next.

Cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am.