Burgy,
I fear you are thinking of determinism as total control of effects, as in
macrophysics. Free will introduces a distinct element (like purpose) into
the causal relationship. There is a great deal of confusion here, with
causality equated to strict determinism, with chance/indeterminism as the
alternative. But then I couldn't know whether I would kiss my wife or
kick her, for it just happens. But then there is no warrant that I'd get
home rather than wandering off into unknown places. I note that even the
indeterminism ascribed to quantum effects is partly limited by
deterministic forces, so that prediction is statistical.
Dave (ASA)
On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:29:07 -0600 Carol or John Burgeson
<burgytwo@juno.com> writes:
Dave writes: "May I remind you that free will is not indeterminism, but a
subcategory of determinism."
"Indeterminism" is your choice of words. Not mine.
In any case, I do not agree that free will is a subcategory of
determinism. Neither you nor I is a "meat machine."
"Choice is circumscribed. In given circumstances, a person may choose
between A and B, say, but not from an infinite set of alternatives."
I do not disagree, of course. But since free will entails choosing either
A or B, the material world is necessarily changed depending on our
choice.
The alternative to this is to argue that free will is an illusion; that
our conscious mind simply rationalizes our actions which are not within
our control. I think B. F. Skinner (and others have argued this. It is,
as far as I'm concerned, nonsense.
"But it all happens within a causal world."
Largely. But not entirely. Acts of free will effect the future in myriads
of ways every day.
Burgy
www.burgy.50megs.com/truth.htm
My review of TWO GREAT TRUTHS, by David Griffin
"Any one thing in the creation is sufficient to demonstrate a Providence
to a humble and grateful mind." --Epictetus
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Received on Sun Sep 16 00:12:55 2007
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