Free will, according to Jim Rutt, refers to the capacity of conscious agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints or predetermined influences. Rutt posits that free will is a complex interplay of individual reasoning, contextual variables, and the ability to act upon one's own deliberations. He suggests that while external factors, such as social conditioning and biological predispositions, might shape an individual's decision-making framework, true free will emerges in the cognitive space where awareness, critical thinking, and personal agency converge. By navigating this multifaceted landscape, individuals exercise their free will when they make informed and autonomous decisions that are not overtly dictated by external forces or internal compulsions.

See also: causality, evolutionary psychology, fermi paradox, protocol