Effect of belief in Free Will

[Beth]

I thought this article was apropo to link to this forum. It turns out that believing we can control our actions leads us to take different actions. In particular, people are less likely to cheat or steal if they believe in free will.

The results were clear: those with weaker convictions about their power to control their own destiny were more apt to cheat when given the opportunity as compared to those whose beliefs about controlling their own lives were left untouched.
.... this study shows that those with a stronger belief in their own free will were less apt to steal money than were those with a weakened belief.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129125354.htm

[plumjam]

interesting stuff.
I suspect the determinists will exercise their free will by not responding much to this thread ;)

[Fnord]

That makes sense. The concepts of "Inshe Allah" ("God wills it") for the Moslems and predestination for the Christians are often used to rationalize atrocious behavior.

Allah/God meant for it to happen. If He didn't then it would not have happened. So what if "it" includes the Spanish Inquisition and 911? The people who committed those atrocities had no choice but to do so, right?

RIGHT?

[Nogbad]

They are predestined to not read it.

[Cold one]

To me this study really doesn't mean a lot.

More questions need to be answered before a study like this really holds a lot of wieght to me.
Does teaching someone free will or determinism change an already held idea?
In what way did they decide that the ones who stole had a belief in determinism?
Does free will mean that someone will think more about their actions?
"Vohs and Schooler set out to see if otherwise honest people would cheat and lie if their beliefs in free will were manipulated" How did they know they were "otherwise honest"?

Those are just a few.
To me this study assumes too much for it to really say anything on the subject.

[Last of the Fraggles]

Of course believing you have it is different from actually having it...

[Marquis de Carabas]

It turns out that believing we can control our actions leads us to take different actions.
Hardly a surpise from a determinist view.

[the PC apeman]

Yep. It sure is a useful illusion.

[Mobyseven]

Argument from adverse consequences.

That is all.