Concerning the free will discussion, because you are all accepting the fundamental premise of determinist metaphysics none of you can logically escape determinist conclusions.
Free will was discussed the the thread Weak vs. Strong Emergence but I will link you to post 39 in the middle of that thread: http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=22062&p=284237
The link to PHYSICALISM, EMERGENCE, AND DOWNWARD CAUSATION still works, highly recommended.
In short, determinism rests on the premise that some kind of most basic particle exists, and nothing but those particles really exists as everything is made up of them in some configuration. This premise is false.
Thanks for some very interesting source material. I’m still combing through it, but is the premise false because of the apparent acausal nature of epiphenomenons?