▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁world , ▁the ▁future ▁is ▁ill - defined ▁for ▁all ▁finite ▁be ings . ▁The ▁only ▁well - defined ▁things ▁are ▁" expect ations ". ▁The ▁ability ▁to ▁do ▁" other wise " ▁only ▁makes ▁sense ▁when ▁dealing ▁with ▁these ▁expect ations , ▁and ▁not ▁with ▁some ▁unknown ▁and ▁un know able ▁future . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Den nett , ▁because ▁individuals ▁have ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁act ▁differently ▁from ▁what ▁anyone ▁expects , ▁free ▁will ▁can ▁exist . ▁In compat ibil ists ▁claim ▁the ▁problem ▁with ▁this ▁idea ▁is ▁that ▁we ▁may ▁be ▁mere ▁" autom ata ▁respond ing ▁in ▁predict able ▁ways ▁to ▁stim uli ▁in ▁our ▁environment ". ▁Therefore , ▁all ▁of ▁our ▁actions ▁are ▁controlled ▁by ▁forces ▁outside ▁ourselves , ▁or ▁by ▁random ▁chance . ▁More ▁s oph istic ated ▁anal ys es ▁of ▁compat ibil ist ▁free ▁will ▁have ▁been ▁offered , ▁as ▁have ▁other ▁crit iques . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁philosophy ▁of ▁decision ▁theory , ▁a ▁fundamental ▁question ▁is : ▁From ▁the ▁stand point ▁of ▁statistical ▁out comes , ▁to ▁what ▁extent ▁do ▁the ▁choices ▁of ▁a ▁conscious ▁being ▁have ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁influence ▁the ▁future ? ▁New comb ' s ▁par ado x ▁and ▁other ▁philosoph ical ▁problems ▁pose ▁questions ▁about ▁free ▁will ▁and ▁predict able ▁out comes ▁of ▁choices . ▁ ▁The ▁physical ▁mind ▁ ▁Comp at ibil ist ▁models ▁of ▁free ▁will ▁often ▁consider ▁determin istic ▁relationships ▁as ▁discover able ▁in ▁the ▁physical ▁world ▁( including ▁the ▁brain