I had been thinking of this analogy, see if you guys agree.
In classical physics, causation=determinism because there is only one way for particles to move given all the conditions, only one set of consistent physical laws.
Say an electron in vaccum being in a gravitational field (on earth surface), and also being in an electric field, the electric field supporting the electron not to fall under gravitational field. The motion of the electron is deterministic as in depending on the relative strength of both fields. If we turn off electric field electron will fall due to gravity, if we turn on, electron will go up. If we balance it just right, electron stays still. The electron has no will to choose which side to go to in the equal strength case.
But the mind although similar in condition, with the mind being the electron, the causation related to negative kamma, ignorance, hindrances, bad friends, sensual pleasures etc being gravity, bringing us down, and the dhamma causation due to right view, right effort, right mindfulness, and the other 5 right factors of the path, 5 powers, 7 factors of enlightenment etc being electric field bringing us up.
The mind is not subjected to only one kind of law. It can have volition to choose even when both causation are of similar strength. Each choice either way has causation behind it, but it’s not determined solely by past conditions. The mind can still choose to do good, even if the forces of evil causation is strong, last resort being force of will.
The usage of wisdom power is in wise reflection to strengthen the good causation pattern to steer the mind towards good.
So even through we have causes and conditionality for the mind, the mind itself may still have input in the present moment, and after the choice, we can still trace the cause of the choice to either circle of causation. That seems to me how some amount of limited free will can exist along side causation resulting in indeterminism of the future, refuting fatalism.
However, due to the extraordinary energy required in using will power, wisdom power is preferred. And most people who doesn’t learn the dhamma, mindfulness, right view mainly have to rely on smaller wisdom power from self help books or strong will power or else they are victims of past habits, having effectively no free will.
Those with the dhamma are driven by right view to strenghten the good causation. Yet, it is not guarenteed to lead to the end, effort still plays a role, in many cases where the evil causations (hinderances) comes to disturb the mind.
So how do you fellow dhammafarers see this analogy?