The Multiverse

Though I am opposed to the Deterministic outlook on the universe, I do consider science to be the best bastion of knowledge there is.  The discussions in class remained me of a scientific theory that allows for free will and determinism to coexist, to some extent.
The theory starts with saying that each decision is more or less yes or no choice, or a series of said choices. The theory suggests that an alternate universe is created at very decision; one created for how things could have been in very possible instance.  For example: there are universes were the Nazis won World War Two, and ones that are identical to ours, but Joe had a cup of tea instead of his usual cup of coffee.  The absolute number of alternate universes is unfathomable.
So what does this mean in a philosophical sense?  It means that free will does exist, but only absolute free will is present in the universe that had the first decision.  Everything else is just a reaction to that.  So the people living in these alternate universes have some free will, but they are not responsible for the actions in their past since that was already determined by their counterparts in their parent universe and so forth.  However is it allows people to continue to make decisions on their own free will.

Free Will vs Determination

What seems like a more likely explanation for why we make decisions: Each and everyone one of us independently thinking about what to do, or a master puppeteer holding over 7 billion puppets?  From my viewpoint, it seems much simpler and more logical that decision making is decentralized (on the whole) left up to each person.  I just find it hard to believe that someone is controlling the thoughts and actions of every single person.  But doesn’t also apply to animals as well?  It seems to me that whoever or whatever is pulling the strings, that it has a lot on its hands to take care of.

Q&A: Does knowing if life is pre-determined or not change anything?

If you think about it, how does the knowledge of how we make decisions really effect everything?  If life is pre-determined for us, then we don't have to worry about making decisions.  But might consider suicide if they found out, but they would only commit suicide, much less even think about it, if they were pre-destined to do so.  If we make decisions purely based on our free will, then we'll keep moving through life making decisions. We won't become any 'freer' or suddenly break any chains that binded us.  Regardless of the ultimate truth, nothing would really change.  That's not to say that is makes the search for truth any less meaningless.

Q&A: If the Universe is pre-determined, who or what makes the decisions or put it all in motion?

Assuming that the Universe is determined, then it would make sense that some higher power is pulling the strings.  One possibility is the traditional Judea-Christian God.  However it seems unlikely to me that that is a solid explanation.  In the Book of Genesis, wouldn't it seem silly that God told Adam and Eve not to eat the Forbidden Fruit, but then determines that they will anyway? Or determines that humanity has degraded to such a point and needs to wipe most of them out with a giant flood?  These events are in the Bible and may not be true, if written by a mere mortal, so that prove all of reality is controlled by God.  However that doesn't explain why bad things happen, like churches that run orphanages burning up.  So appears the Universe can not be ran by a benevolent God.
It was also suggested in the article that everything runs off an equation or that anything can be determined with this equation.  However it brings up the question of what set everything in motion to be determined by this equation of everything.