Dear Stathis let me try to explain myself in a less "1st p. vocabulary". As I explained I carry an *'agnostic'* worldview, because over the past millennia the information what humanity gathered about "the world" increased steadily and we have so far no indication of having reached omniscience. So I believe you when asking out loud: *"what ELSE is there?"* and I have no answer of course. 2 trivial e.g.,-s: # Before Volta there was no hint to 'electrical' (whatever that is) phenomena but after his observation a branch of developing physics speaks a lot of such. #The Flat Earth was also a notion (even the Bible speaks about "the 4 corners" of it) and newer information developed a different cosmology over the past centuries. And so on, why not getting new information in *mentality* questions as well? or factors (even so far unknown 'domains') that may influence whatever we do know/think/choose?
And may I throw back your term: the "choice" you ask about is a *PSEUDO - choice*, not choosing from ANYTHING (haphazardly), but within the given possibilities (potentials) - in the unlimited complexity of which currently we know only a portion. More we know than yesterday or 1000 - 10,000 years ago, but believably less than we *may* learn hereafter. (I.e. in my agnosticism). (And you left untouched my question about * W H O* is discussing with *YOUR * brain - and how?) John Mikes Ph.D., D.Sc. On Wed, Jun 13, 2012 at 7:29 PM, Stathis Papaioannou <[email protected]>wrote: > On Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 6:55 AM, John Mikes <[email protected]> wrote: > > Stathis, semantics is a fundamental principle as long as we 'talk in > wordly > > terms'. Did you get a letter from God Almighty confirming that there is > > nothing more FOR DECISIONMAKING than your brain and your ------------- > > environment? Sorry to denigrate a term within your profession, but we ----- > > know close to nothing about mentality, thinking in topical terms, even > ------> THAT DARN 'decisionmaking'. > > It may not be strictly deterministic, we MAY have SOME choice (all these > > words from the 'pseudo' domain) but how impressive those (so far > unknowable) > > domains(?) or factors do influence "our brain(?)" has not been known as > of yesterday. > > > > (I am still hung up on your use of the number of people you are: > > "...if my actions are determined by my brain and my environment..." > > who is the 'you' discussing with 'your brain'? Are you compatible with > you? > > but that is an old hat). > > Other than brain and environment, what else is there? > > As for choice and determinism: I do exactly what I want to do, and if > I wanted do something else, I would do that. I consider that choice, > whether my behaviour is determined or random. In fact, I don't see > what "choice" could possibly mean if not this. > > > -- > Stathis Papaioannou > > -- > 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.
