gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA@sri-unix.UUCP (08/24/84)
From: Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA> >This is extracted from net.philosophy. >>>Or, putting it slightly differently, the traditional view of >>>cause-and-effect is that one action causes another action; >>>This avoids the >>>endless backward causal chain problem (and the "prime mover"). >>How so? To avoid the "prime mover" I would think requires accepting that the >>causal chain extends infinitely into the past, or accepting the universe's >>right to behave capriciously, and substitute "prime mover" with >>"prime spontaneous event". Causative behavior due to inherent nature >>plus a finite causal chain seems to me to imply a first cause. Before this discussion goes much farther, please note that my comments (>>>) were quoted out of context, and the "This" in the second grouping referred to an ALTERNATIVE to the "traditional view", which was given where the GAP now is. I leave it to the reader to guess why the person quoting me chose to misrepresent my views.