All of these arguments are old and have been rehashed over and over again in all forms of media, literature and conversation. Ultimately we all have to come up with the answer that allows up to sleep at night or that drives to the asylum. For me personally there is no question that we have free will. The reason we have it may be another question entirely. Maybe, as some have speculated, we were brought into existence as a way for the universe to experience emotion. Maybe the ancient aliens designed our organic computers (brains) in these animal shells as an experiment or a place to transfer their consciousness (which is why some people can see past lives). HOW we came into existence was not of our doing or choice. How we DECIDE to live our lives is exactly our choice. More and more the government is trying to take away or limit the available choices. This is the purpose of establishing the class system and then setting up laws to ensure absolute obedience to authority. Soon they will want to start DNA testing to decide genetic predispositions for attitude and behavior so they can sort our children into the jobs that they need filled and dispose of the ones not fit for a future society.
We have to believe in free will because that is what gives us the power to change and grow. A guy can overcome his addictions because he CHOOSES to do so. His body and all other influencing factors demand the addiction but through the effort of HIS WILL. HIS ability to CHOOSE he can gain control and power over his body. It's not easy but it can be done because he has the ability to choose.
I disagree. We don't need an answer and we can't have one.
I admit that I know essentially nothing about the true nature of reality and I sleep like a baby at night.
And, don't get me wrong, becoming a nihilist and apathetic over affirming to ourselves that we're powerless is a self-defeating and stupid thing to do to oneself. By every means, if you feel you have power to do something positive in your life, DO IT!
Yes, go with the flow of feeling like you're in control. I'm not saying that we should act as if we're leafs in the wind. All I'm saying is whether you do something or not, although it may always feel like it's "you" doing it, it might have nothing to do with a "mind" and a "body". It might just be that you're energy in the position of carrying out this function of the complex equation of the big bang (universe), just as individual atoms go through their motions to make these "higher functions" possible.
If free will didn't exist why would you think it matters?