For every choice, there are perceived factuals which are weighed by
the chooser. Counter-factuals could alter the choice, depending on the
nature of the counter-factuals. The previous experience and current
psychological state (including desires) of the chooser are beyond their
choice. Fatuals that are not perceived do not weigh into the choice.
There is a choice that is made but under a given set of perceived
factuals and psychological state the chooser could not choose
differently. "I could if I wanted to." But you don't want to. That
would be a different psychological state.
For every choice I've ever made I can imagine circumstances which
would have caused me to choose differently. Feeling how I felt, wanting
what I wanted and knowing what I knew I could not have chosen
differently. If there had been a different feeling, desire or
understanding then the choice made would have been subject to those
influences.
There are times when I don't know why I make the choices I do. But
the spontaneous or capricious nature of the choice doesn't make my choice
less deterministic. If anything these mysterious choices suggest that
feeling and desire are capable of operating with minimal influence from
an understanding of the circumstances.
When I do something random this does not suggest that I am exercising
free will, rather I'm responding to (usually) ineffable stimuli. When I
do something deliberate I am reacting to better identified, better
considered stimuli. In all cases I am beholden to environmental,
physiological and psychological influences.
Each feeling, desire and perception of circumstances is another bit
of coercion steering me (and any of us) to a resulting choice. There may be no outside
agent twisting our arm, the choices we make may be our own, but it is a
mistake to think that for a given set of circumstances we are able to
make more than one choice.
