mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) (08/14/85)
In article <763@masscomp.UUCP> lip@masscomp.UUCP (John Lipinski) writes: >>I am *sorry*, but if I make a decision to do something >>I see no reason why I cannot be free to accomplish that goal in any >>manner that works. >True, you can use any method you like, but the manner you choose will be >determined by your experiences and environment. >>If I decide to like something and I conclude that >>self-conditioning is the most effective way of doing this, then why >>is that contrary to free-will, since the conditioning process was >>initiated by *my* decision, not external control. > >A decision necessarily implies a desire. When you make a decision and act, >you do so because of a desire. You are not free because you can never >escape the shackle of desire. No matter what you do, you are bound to do >what you want. Begging the question of what determines the nature and strength of desires. >Furthermore, your decision is shaped by external factors and experiences. >Your mind remembers what actions resulted in reward and which ones resulted >in failure. You've learned things and certain concepts have an effect on >your mind. How can you expect to commit an action without a cause? >Every action has a cause or causes, simple or complex, depending on how deep >one wants to examine the action. It would be conceited and self-deceptive >to think that humans are exempt from the eternal chain of cause and effect. There appear to be acausal processes in the world already, so there's as yet no convincing argument that all brain activity eventually traces to causes outside the brain. This discussion is already underway in net.philosophy, and, since it concerns religion only very peripherally, I suggest this go to the other newsgroup. Charley Wingate
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (08/16/85)
Followup-to: groups listed on Newsgroups line no matter what Wingate says :-|
> Begging the question of what determines the nature and strength of desires.
I don't understand, Charley. Why is everything that disagrees with your
position referred to as "begging the question"???
--
"Wait a minute. '*WE*' decided??? *MY* best interests????"
Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr