Was it unconscious will power or free will?

[Solitary]

Authorities released the surveillance video this week, although the incident occurred on Nov. 25. The video shows Borgen with his headphones on, lost in his thoughts listening to music when the gunman approached him.

"It was on shuffle. I honestly couldn't tell you what I was listening to," he said.

Borgen said he has thought a lot about that moment, and the idea of being mugged for a smart phone.

"It's so preposterous, like, 'You can take my phone,'" he said. He definitely wouldn't repeat his actions if he had a chance to revisit the instant.

"But in the moment, with no real understanding about why a gun was being pointed at me, something came over me," he said. "I didn't have any sorts of thoughts about doing a good deed or anything. But the people who did, who jumped in, I think those are the people — they had the choice, and they chose to help."

Borgen admitted his response amazed his friends and family, especially his wife. But it also surprised himself.

"I'm fairly mild-mannered, no martial arts training or anything like that. When I think about it rationally, I definitely wouldn't have taken those actions but one thing led to another," he said.

Borgen said he still commutes on the same Seattle bus and nothing about his daily routine has changed since that fateful day.

"It's something that doesn't happen very often," he said. "I don't think that not riding the bus is the answer."

Solitary

[sophia]

I think that was his instinct but I dont know

[leo]

Free will is bullshit.

[sophia]

I think that was his instinct but I dont know

Instinct is one of those words that doesn't really explain what it means or how it works.    Solitary

Then I think it was unconscious power

[Shol'va]

Simple. Fight or flight. Instinct. His unconscious mind registered danger and he reacted. I've experienced it several times in close call emergency situations while driving.