Burgy,
I know, yours is a common definition, but it applies to what is better
understood as strict determinism, that is, everything occurs within an
inexorable causal nexus. However, my decisions fall within a causal
domain, but it is not inexorable. There are some psychologists and
sociologists who have claimed that our decisions are simply part of the
inexorable causal nexus, that freedom is a delusion. But this means that
their thoughts are not any more rational than the flight of a rock
(velocity, gravity, air resistance, etc.), and so without reason. Our
reason has to be a kind of initiative cause to produce rational events.
Indeterminism is a random matter, which cannot produce rational
consequences except by accident--the famous monkeys producing
Shakespeare. It doesn't matter whether it is totally random or occurs
within statistical bounds. If there is a text produced, it is not
detectable by the indeterminate producer.
Dave
On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:52:54 -0600 Carol or John Burgeson
<burgytwo@juno.com> writes:
David wrote: "
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."
Sorry, I really don't understand your post.
Determinism, to me, is the concept that all happens s "particles hit
particles." (or force fields interact with other fields). Determinism,
then, says that I have no choice in what I write to you here.
I reject that concept for it is simple a "performative contradiction." I
understand that some people much more learned than I hold it as
fundamental. Three books that have heavily influenced my thinking on this
have been reviewed by me for PSCF. The reviews are at:
www.burgy.50megs.com/griffin.htm
www.burgy.50megs.com/truth.htm
www.burgy.50megs.com/one.htm
The first two are by David Ray Griffin; the last by John Polkinghorne.
Cheers
Burgy
"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 Mon Sep 17 18:50:11 2007
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