In Mormonism, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), "agency" refers to the God-given ability and right of individuals to make choices and act for themselves. This concept is central to LDS theology and is tied to the belief that human beings are created with the capacity to choose between good and evil, which is essential for moral accountability and spiritual growth.
Akrasia is a philosophical term that refers to a state of acting against one's better judgment. It describes a situation where an individual knows the right course of action or what they should do, yet fails to act accordingly due to lack of self-control or weakness of will. The term originates from ancient Greek philosophy, notably in the works of Plato and Aristotle, who discussed it in the context of ethics and moral psychology.
Alessandro De Angelis was an Italian Jesuit priest known for his contributions to education and the Jesuit mission. He is recognized for his work in theology, philosophy, or literature, reflecting the Jesuit commitment to intellectual pursuit and education. However, it’s important to note that there might be more than one individual with that name in different contexts.
Alvin Plantinga's free-will defense is a philosophical argument designed to address the problem of evil, particularly the challenge posed by the existence of gratuitous suffering in a world created by an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God. The problem of evil raises the question of how such a God could permit the existence of evil and suffering. Plantinga's free-will defense asserts that one possible reason for the existence of evil is that God granted humans free will.
Arbitrariness generally refers to a lack of a clear or inherent connection between two things. In different fields, it can take on specific meanings: 1. **Linguistics**: In the study of language, arbitrariness refers to the relationship between a word and its meaning. For example, the word “dog” does not have an inherent connection to the animal it represents; it is a social convention agreed upon by speakers of English.
The Argument from Free Will is a philosophical and theological concept that is often used to address the existence of evil in the world and its implications for the idea of an omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent God. In essence, the argument posits that the existence of genuine free will is necessary for moral responsibility and that this necessary free will can lead to the presence of evil and suffering in the world.
Benjamin Libet (1916-2007) was a prominent American neuroscientist known for his groundbreaking research in the field of neurophysiology, particularly related to the nature of voluntary action and consciousness. One of his most significant contributions is the concept known as the "Libet experiment," which he conducted in the 1980s. In these experiments, Libet measured the brain activity associated with willing an action using electroencephalography (EEG).
The Consequence Argument is a philosophical argument primarily associated with discussions of free will and determinism. It is often used to challenge the idea that humans can have free will in a deterministic universe. The argument suggests that if determinism is true, then every event (including human actions) is the result of prior events in accordance with the laws of nature.
Higher-order volition refers to the complex process of reflecting on and evaluating one’s desires, intentions, and motivations at a level beyond mere immediate impulses or basic desires. In this context, higher-order volition involves not just experiencing a desire but also having the capacity to endorse or reject that desire based on deeper values, principles, or long-term goals.
Hobson's choice refers to a situation where one must choose between two options, but in reality, only one viable option is available. The term originates from Thomas Hobson, a 17th-century stable owner who offered customers a choice of either taking the horse that was closest to the door or none at all. Essentially, it means "take it or leave it.
Illusionism is a philosophical perspective primarily concerned with consciousness and the nature of subjective experience. It suggests that our conscious experiences, particularly qualia (the subjective qualities of experiences such as "redness" or "pain"), are illusory. Proponents of illusionism argue that what we perceive as conscious experiences do not correspond to any intrinsic qualities or properties but are instead the result of complex brain processes that create the appearance of such experiences.
Involuntary memory refers to the spontaneous recollection of past experiences, events, or information without deliberate effort or intention. This type of memory emerges without conscious awareness and can be triggered by various stimuli, such as sights, sounds, smells, or emotions. It often evokes vivid details and strong emotional responses, making the memories feel especially salient or significant.
Logical determinism is a philosophical concept that posits that every proposition, whether it is true or false, has a determined truth value regardless of the context or the state of the world. In simpler terms, it suggests that if a statement about the future is true, then it must be true in a way that is independent of anyone's knowledge or beliefs about it. The notion is closely related to discussions in metaphysics, particularly in the context of free will and moral responsibility.
Lorenzo Valla's "Dialogue on Free Will" (often referred to as "De Voluntate") is a significant philosophical work where Valla engages with the concept of free will, a crucial topic in both philosophy and theology during the Renaissance. The dialogue is structured as a conversation among several characters who explore the nature of free will, its implications for moral responsibility, and its relationship to divine foreknowledge.
The neuroscience of free will is an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between brain activity, decision-making, and the concept of free will. It examines how neural processes underpin our thoughts, intentions, and actions, raising questions about the extent to which our choices are consciously made and whether we truly have the freedom to exercise will.
"Philosophical Inquiries into the Essence of Human Freedom" is a work by the German philosopher Karl Raimund Popper, who is known for his contributions to philosophy of science and political philosophy. The book deals with complex themes surrounding the nature of freedom, determinism, and the ethical implications of human agency. In this work, Popper often explores the relationship between freedom and scientific understanding, arguing against deterministic views of human behavior.
The term "preference" can have several meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Below are a few common interpretations: 1. **General Definition**: Preference refers to a greater liking for one alternative over others. It indicates a choice or inclination toward something. 2. **Psychology**: In psychology, preference denotes an individual's favored choice among various options, often related to behaviors, tastes, or attitudes.
Qadariyah, also spelled Qadaríyah or Qadarīyah, is an early Islamic theological movement that emerged in the 7th century. It is often associated with debates surrounding free will and divine predestination. The followers of Qadariyah believed in the concept of human free will, asserting that individuals have the capacity to make choices independently of divine predestination.
The Rubicon Model is a psychological framework developed by German psychologist Heinz Heckhausen and his collaborators. It focuses on the processes involved in decision-making and goal achievement, particularly the transition from motivation to action. The model distinguishes between different phases in this process, highlighting how individuals move from the stage of consideration to the execution of their goals.
"Weltalter" is a German term that translates to "age of the world" or "world age." It is often used in philosophical, historical, or cosmological contexts to refer to the concept of time in relation to the universe or the history of the Earth. The term may encompass discussions about the origin, progression, and eventual fate of the universe, as well as the epochs of human civilization.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 5. . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact