arndt@lymph.DEC (03/16/85)
I have been following with interest (and through heavy lenses, till now) the discussion on free will. Sic 'em Laura! But a thought popped into my head the other night ( I say it this way to give Rich a place to start his reply!) when I was watching the rerun of CAPTIANS AND KINGS, one of the best series ever shown on TV! Anyway, there is a place in the series where a senator is being blackmailed by the protagonist. The dialog goes something like this. "We came up the same way, but we turned out differently." (honest Senator) "I am what the world has made me!" (blackmailer) "No, we have our choices! We all have our choices." (Senator) ----------------------- Just so the difference of opinion I see on the net. In the cool crisp light of the arm chair, one can reason away free will as a theory that can't be supported, but in the sweat of the real world it doesn't hold up that we are what we eat or something. Law, ethics, religion, truth, beauty, thought even, sets us out to be creatures who 'move' and 'act' rather than part of the great cosmic molecule! That way lies madness!!!! Regards, Ken Arndt
gam@amdahl.UUCP (G A Moffett) (03/17/85)
`Free will' is one of my favorite subjects, but most people
don't take me seriously. Yes, I believe that there is no
free will. But I am also a reasonably moral person, I fret
about decisions like everyone else, and I judge people by
the way they act -- all just as those believe free will
exists.
I *act* as though I had free will, even though I know it
does not exist! Why? Because it doesn't matter what I think
of reality; reality goes marching on whether I believe it or
not.
I would like, for this discussion, merely to make clear to
you how I think of `free will', how one who does not belive
he has free will acts, rather than to "prove" myself
correct -- if you are interested in pursuing this subject with
me.
Gordon
--
Gordon A. Moffett ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,sun}!amdahl!gamgadfly@ihu1m.UUCP (Gadfly) (03/18/85)
-- > "I am what the world has made me!" (blackmailer) > > "No, we have our choices! We all have our choices." (Senator) > > ----------------------- > > Just so the difference of opinion I see on the net... > > Ken Arndt Strange that we would remember such a similar thought, Ken, but from different sources. My source for that sentiment is from some otherwise dreary Star Trek in which Mr. Spock says, "Captain, there are always options." -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 17 Mar 85 [27 Ventose An CXCIII] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7188 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken *** ***