The philosophical concept that humans have the ability to make choices that are not predetermined or forced by external factors; the power of choice.
From 'free' (unrestricted) + 'will' (the faculty of conscious choice). The term became central to Western philosophy in medieval times when theologians debated whether human free will could coexist with God's omniscience.
The free will debate is still completely unresolved in philosophy—neuroscience suggests our brains make decisions before we're consciously aware of them, which would mean free will is an illusion, yet we still feel like we choose.
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