All theory is against freedom of the will; all experience for it.

Host: The sun had begun its descent, casting long shadows across the café, the room still warm with the lingering energy of the afternoon. The sounds of quiet conversation filled the air, but Jack and Jeeny sat in a more introspective silence, their mugs of coffee in front of them, untouched for a moment. Jack’s gaze seemed lost in thought, the weight of something deep on his mind. Jeeny noticed the quiet in him, her eyes searching, waiting for him to share.

Host: Finally, Jack spoke, his voice quiet, almost like he had been mulling over something for some time.

Jack: “I read this quote today by Samuel Johnson: ‘All theory is against freedom of the will; all experience for it.’ It’s one of those quotes that kind of punches you in the gut, isn’t it? It makes you wonder — is freedom of will just an illusion? I mean, when you think about it, theory tells us everything is determined, that choice is just an illusion. But then, our daily experiences seem to show us that we do make choices. We feel them. But what if all those feelings are just products of something else?”

Jeeny sat back slightly, her eyes searching his face. She gave a soft smile, her tone gentle but full of curiosity.

Jeeny: “It’s a powerful thought. And I think it’s one that a lot of people struggle with. The theory of determinism says everything is set in motion by something greater — our environment, our biology, our past. But in our daily lives, we feel free to make decisions. We feel like we have control. It’s almost like theory doesn’t really fit with how we experience life. So, maybe that’s why it’s so hard to fully embrace one side of it. Experience constantly pushes us to believe in choice, while theory tells us that there’s no real freedom.”

Host: The café seemed to grow quieter as the conversation settled between them. The faint clink of a spoon and the soft rustle of paper were the only sounds, but their words felt much more significant. Jack leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing as he considered her response.

Jack: “Yeah, but the thing that bugs me about experience is that it feels like freedom, but can we always trust it? I mean, I can make a decision, but how do I know that decision wasn’t influenced by everything that came before it? I decide to have coffee instead of tea today, but did I really choose? Or did I choose it because of some pattern in my behavior, or some past memory that led me to make that decision?”

Jeeny nodded, a quiet understanding in her eyes, and she leaned forward, her voice calm but thoughtful.

Jeeny: “You’re right. Experience doesn’t guarantee that our choices are entirely free. We’re shaped by our past, by our environment, by everything we’ve ever experienced. But that doesn’t mean we’re not free. It just means that our freedom isn’t always as clean and pure as we want it to be. Our choices may be influenced by things outside of our conscious control, but they’re still our choices. And I think that’s the heart of freedom — the ability to act, even if our actions are shaped by things we can’t fully understand or see.”

Host: Jack sat back, his fingers drumming lightly on the side of his mug as he processed her words. The soft light from the window seemed to fade slightly, casting a more reflective tone across the table. For a moment, the noise of the café seemed to fall away, leaving only the quiet intensity of their conversation.

Jack: “So, you're saying that even if we can’t control everything that influences us, we still have a choice? That freedom doesn’t mean having complete control over every decision, but the ability to make decisions anyway — even if they're shaped by things we can't see?”

Jeeny smiled, a gentle but reassuring smile, her eyes softening as she nodded.

Jeeny: “Exactly. We might not be fully free from our past, our biology, or the circumstances around us, but freedom is in how we respond to those things. It’s in our awareness of them and the decisions we make despite them. I think that’s what makes our experience of freedom so real. It’s not about perfection; it’s about having the ability to act, to choose, and to shape our lives, even if there are forces outside our control.”

Host: The weight of her words seemed to settle, and Jack’s expression softened as he nodded slowly, his earlier tension easing.

Jack: “That makes sense. Maybe freedom isn’t about having complete control. Maybe it’s about how we choose to navigate all the things that influence us. It’s about having the courage to act despite everything else that might be pushing us in a certain direction.”

Jeeny’s smile deepened, her eyes warm with quiet understanding.

Jeeny: “Exactly. And that’s where the beauty of it lies — in the choice to act, even when we know we’re not fully free from everything that came before us. Experience teaches us about the world and ourselves, and in the face of all that, we still have the power to make decisions that reflect who we are, who we want to be.”

Host: The conversation seemed to take on a quieter tone as the two of them sat in shared understanding. The room around them felt almost still, as if their words had suspended time, leaving only the truth of the moment in the air. Outside, the world continued on, its rhythm never pausing, but inside, Jack and Jeeny had found a quiet peace — a recognition that freedom, though influenced by many factors, was still something real and present in every choice they made.