Three possibilities come to mind:

Is there an evolutionary purpose?

Does it arise as a consequence of our mental activities, a sort of side effect of our thinking?

Is it given a priori (something we have to think in order to think at all)?

EDIT: Thanks for all the responses! Just one thing I saw come up a few times I’d like to address: a lot of people are asking ‘Why assume this?’ The answer is: it’s purely rhetorical! That said, I’m happy with a well thought-out ‘I dispute the premiss’ answer.

  • makyo@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Couldn’t it also be argued that our lack of awareness of the big stuff also leaves open the possibility of free will?

    • Delta_V@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      On a sufficiently large billiards table, it does become hard to prove that some balls don’t spontaneously sink themselves.

      • makyo@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        That is a clever point but I think it also overly simplifies the nature of reality to such a point that it’s not likely to change any minds.