On 14 May 2015, at 23:49, LizR wrote:
On 15 May 2015 at 02:03, Bruno Marchal <[email protected]> wrote:
On 14 May 2015, at 03:20, LizR wrote:
On 14 May 2015 at 12:01, Russell Standish <[email protected]>
wrote:
On Wed, May 13, 2015 at 01:46:49PM -0400, John Clark wrote:
> On Tue, May 12, 2015 Russell Standish <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> > Free will is the ability to do something stupid. Nonrational.
> >
>
> OK fine free will is non-rational, in other words an event
performed for NO
> REASON, in other words an event without a cause, in other words
random. So
> a radioactive atom has free will when it decays.
A radioactive atom isn't a person, consequently does not have
will. At least not when I last checked.
But a person choosing what to do as a result of an atom decaying
does have free will, I assume?
Only if you define free-will by random, but frankly, it seems that
random is the complete opposite of free-will. If you choose
randomly, it means you abandon your will to chance. It means you let
chance doing the decision at your place.
Imagine that I give you the liberty to go either in Hell or in
Paradise, with your own free will. Then, as you tell me that free
will = random, I can throw the coin for you, and ... Hell. Would say
that in that case you are going to hell by your own free will?
I think free will require determinacy, at least some amount so as
being able to do some planning.
I was being a bit flippant. I think the definition that makes sense
is being unable to predict someone's actions, possibly for deep
"Halting-problem-type" reasons.
I made all that precise in "Conscience et Mécanisme". the basic idea
is already in Popper, and used by Good to explain relation between
free-will and relative speed computation.
The basic idea is that if you can predict in advance what you will do,
you can as well change your mind.
But I am wary of talk about free will and responsibility because of
their political use.
Then I am wary to talk about anything. health, climate, energy,
religion, etc.
As in a cartoon I have on my wall (though not the one in front of me
at the moment, unfortunately, so this is from memory)...
A business-suited arm points accusingly at a baby. A speech bubble
from the arm's owner, out of frame:
"YOU are going to make some bad decisions in your life. You will
choose the wrong parents, the wrong socio-economic group, the wrong
foster home. As a result you will be abused, drop out, become a
delinquent, become drug-addicted, end up in prison...
...WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE?"
Simple. I will take responsibility when you will give my
responsibility back.
Bruno
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