How much control do we really have over our own lives? It’s a question that’s preoccupied philosophers and theologians for millennia. But whether you’re a firm believer in predeterminism or adhere to the school of thought that humans forge their own destinies in a world ruled by chaos, one thing is certain: much of your day is spent engaged in activities that you did not consciously decide to do.
You could call these actions habits: non-conscious processes usually triggered by environment and context. For example, you wake up, go to the bathroom and brush your teeth. It’s not that you have “decided” to do it; it’s just what you always do. And once you’ve started brushing, you’re even less actively engaged. You’re not thinking about how to brush your teeth, piloting pioneering new techniques to better scrub the back molars. You just do it, unthinkingly, while your mind wanders off elsewhere.
