ANNOTATION:
Misunderstood quantum theory

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'There is genuine freedom in the world. When we observe it from the outside, it takes the form of quantum-mechanical unpredictability, when we observe it from within, we call it our free will. We know that the reason why our behaviour is unpredictable from the outside is that we have ultimate freedom of choice. This freedom is the very essence of our personalities, the treasure of our lives. It is given us as the first element of the world we come into. '
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When quantum theory arose during the twentieth century
it did not destroy deterministic science as we know it.
The uncertainty principle states that it is impossible
to KNOW the exact position and velocity of an electron
(and by association, everything else).  As for under-
standing the nature of the electron, quantum theory 
requires it be defined in terms of probabibilty. Here
is where misunderstanding occurs.

The electron, although it cannot be known, HAS an EXACT
position and velocity.  If it were possible to know
these things, the world will once again fall into a
deterministic domain.  Freedom, it seems, depends on
one's perspective. So, correcting the statement as 
listed above:

'when we observe it (the world) from the outside, it 
takes the form of quantum-mechanical predictability,
when we observe it from within, the impossibility of
knowing predictability, takes the form of probabilities
in our daily life, i.e. free will exists as long as
we are ignorant about the exact quantum states of 
everything simultaneously.'

-Nicholas Goodman
 student, USC