The hard one to define with falling into circularity is "agent" which is often defined as
an entity with free will. To test something you need an operational definition. "Agent"
might be defined as an entity with acts unpredictably but purposefully. But both of those
are a little fuzzy.
Brent
On 6/2/2012 10:40 AM, Brian Tenneson wrote:
The capacity (which can be defined) of an agent (which can be defined) to be able (which
can be defined) to choose (which can be defined) when (which can be defined) presented
(which can be defined) with a choice (which can be defined).
Certainly not meaningless.
On Sat, Jun 2, 2012 at 9:58 AM, John Clark <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
On Fri, Jun 1, 2012 Brian Tenneson <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>
wrote:
> The fact that free will is debated lends credence to the notion that
"Free
will" is not meaningless. "Free will" has to mean something before it
can be
attacked.
But I'm not saying "free will" does not exist, and I'm not attacking it
because
there is nothing to attack, it would be like attacking a duck's "quack".
I'm saying
I don't know what the hell you're talking about when you type the ASCII
characters
"free will" and neither do you. I'm not saying the idea is wrong, I'm
saying there
is no idea there. How do I know this? Because whenever anybody talks about
"free
will" the resulting verbiage is ALWAYS a blizzard of contradictory
statements,
circular definitions, vague illusions, pious speeches, and just plain old
idiocy;
there is never any substance there. Never.
John K Clark
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Everything List" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
<mailto:everything-list%[email protected]>.
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything
List" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Everything List" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en.
