rlh@cvl.UUCP (Ralph L. Hartley) (02/27/85)
> My basic assumption is that my body (including brain) is a > machine that needs an external force exerted upon it in order > for it to move. I can not prove this assumption. Alternatively, > you make the assumption that you can cause your own body to move, > and your conclusions are a result of that assumption. Please be more careful to say what you mean. The words "force" and "move" have very precice meanings. Taken litaraly the statement is clearly false; a spacecraft can move using only its (internal) rocket motors. I suspect what you realy mean is "my body (including brain) is a machine that needs an guidance from an external source in order for it to take any action." Note that I still disagree with the assumption, but at least it means something. A computer program DOES act independantly acording to my definition of independance. The fact that it was created by a programmer is irelevant. The programmer may have had control of its actions once (when he was writing it) but now that it is off on Mars somewhere he certianly does not. Ralph Hartley