The question of who really governs our actions – ourselves or external forces – remains both relevant and multifaceted.

Free Will and Determinism: Rethinking Control in Human Actions

The question of who really governs our actions – ourselves or external forces – remains both relevant and multifaceted. Various sources present vigorous arguments in favor of personal freedom: many claim that our will is powerful enough to independently determine the course of our lives. This perspective places responsibility for our choices on each of us, emphasizing that even under the influence of different temptations, moral, and spiritual trials, it is our decisions that shape events.

However, there are more deterministic approaches in which a person is viewed as part of the material world, governed by the inexorable laws of causality. The idea here is that if everything happens according to the strict laws of nature, the possibility of an absolutely free choice is called into question. Special attention is also given to situations in which external influences – whether negative impacts or some “evil spirit” – temporarily deprive us of control over our actions, thereby complicating the notion of complete personal responsibility.

Thus, the dynamic conflict between free will and the objective laws of the surrounding world demonstrates the complexity of our existence. In most cases, we act relying on an internal power of choice, but certain circumstances can seriously influence this process. This multifaceted view not only forces us to rethink our own responsibility but also inspires a deep exploration of the boundaries between human will and external influence.

Does external control over our actions exist, or are we entirely responsible for our choices?

The interest in the question of whether there is external control over our actions or whether we are entirely the creators of our choices can be traced in various sources presented below. On one hand, a number of authors emphasize that our actions are the result of our own free will, and therefore, we are completely responsible for them. For example, one source states:

"Each person acts according to their own free will, by their own free choice, as long as they live in this world. … This property was bestowed upon the human soul by the Creator. Thus, free will is the rational, independent movement or direction of our soul. Choice, on the other hand, is our final will, following the discussion of our desires." (source: link txt)

A similar idea is developed in another text, which notes that despite the influence of external forces, it is the human will that ultimately decides what to prioritize:

"… God calls us, the devil tempts us, and we are required to make a choice between where God is calling us and the abyss into which Satan wants to draw us. And the fate of the earth, as frightening as it may sound, depends on the choice we make. And we have no right to think that someone else is responsible for that dark and terrible state that surrounds us. Each one of us contributes our part to this struggle…" (source: link txt)

On the other hand, some arguments emphasize that if one considers a person as a material particle subject to the laws of causality, then the concept of a free, “uncaused” choice becomes dubious:

"And the material world is subject to specific laws, one of the most fundamental being the law of causality. ... If the material world does not know of free 'uncaused' phenomena, then human will cannot be free and must itself be causally determined. So, free will does not exist. Would you agree that I am reasoning strictly logically?" (source: link txt)

There is also a special case highlighted, where external influence can temporarily deprive a person of control over their actions – this refers to a state in which evil (or, as it is metaphorically described, an evil spirit) takes over the neuromuscular system:

"When possessed, an evil spirit takes over the neuromuscular system of the body – almost as if it were inserting itself between the body and the soul, so that the person loses control over their movements and actions. … They become slaves to the evil spirit." (source: link txt)

Yet, another excerpt clarifies that even with such temptations or external influences, a person often still manages to maintain control over their actions:

"Here, the person retains control over their actions." (source: link txt)

Thus, one can conclude that the question of control over our actions is both complex and multifaceted. In ordinary circumstances, many texts emphasize that we act according to our own free will and are accountable for the choices we make. However, in exceptional cases, when a person finds themselves under the influence of external forces – whether natural laws, material determinism, or even the dominance of malevolent influence – individual responsibility may be called into question. These sources demonstrate that despite the general principle of free choice, there are situations in which external control or determinism can affect our actions.