The+Will+SLIDES

The Right Action Of The Will

Overview

  • Author: Don Mackintosh, BSN RN, MDiv

  • Position: Daniel M. Wegner Professor, Department of Psychology, Harvard University

  • Location: 1470 William James Hall, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Free Will vs. Determinism

Belief in Free Will

  • Comparable to religious beliefs.

  • Makes "logical sense" with the "causal magic" of religion.

  • Both free will and religious belief defy the laws of the physical world.

Deterministic Worldview

  • Our identity, joys, and sorrows arise from the behavior of nerves and molecules.

  • The concept of free will is challenged; choices are believed to be predetermined.

Implications of Determinism

  • 2008 study by Kathleen Vohs and Jonathan Schooler showed effects of deterministic vs. free will statements:

    • Group exposed to deterministic beliefs found to act more unethically.

    • Contrasting group received positive affirmations on free will.

Scriptural Case Study: Psalm 77

Cries: Verses 1-3

  • Verse 1: Cry out to God.

  • Verse 2: Seeking the Lord in trouble; persistent night prayers.

  • Verse 3: Memories of God lead to emotional turmoil.

Questions: Verses 4-9

  • Verse 4-5: Troubled mind; recalling past days.

  • Verse 6: A search for meaning in songs and meditation.

  • Questions Raised: God’s eternal favor, mercy, and memory questioned.

  • Notable Study: Questions about God’s abandonment increase mortality risk significantly.

Resolve: Verses 10-13

  • Verses 10: "This is my anguish..."

  • Promises of Remembering:

    1. Most High's right hand.

    2. God’s historical works and wonders.

    3. Meditate on God's deeds in the sanctuary.

Result: Verses 14-20

  • Affirmation of God’s wondrous deeds and power.

  • Recollection leads to hope and understanding of divine guidance in history.

  • Reflection on God's leadership of His people like a flock.

Relevance to Mental Health

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Key Insight: OCD involves unwanted thoughts and compulsions.

  • Addiction Recovery Strategy:

    1. Re-label obsessions as false signals.

    2. Reattribute thoughts to brain chemistry.

    3. Refocus attention away from compulsions.

  • Emphasis on Mental Action: Mind can alter brain chemistry and functioning.

Emotional Intelligence

  • Prefrontal cortex comparison highlights human capability for self-control.

  • Ability to make choices about impulses reflects emotional resilience and intelligence.

Practical Steps for Recovery from OCD

  • Review Process:

    1. Re-label

    2. Reattribute

    3. Refocus

    4. Revalue according to truth.

  • Understanding truth through spiritual teachings.

Spiritual Insight on Free Will

  • Sherrington’s perspective: Brain processes alone do not encapsulate free will.

  • Biblical reference: Receiving power from God to exercise will, transcending physical limitations.

Conclusion: Role of God and Will

  • Emphasizes the essential nature of choosing rightly in alignment with God’s power.

  • Psalm 77 reveals an emotional journey from despair to acknowledgment of God’s guidance and past wonders.