ucbcad:ucbmonet.arnold (04/27/83)
#R:tekmdp:-191900:ucbmonet:22400007:000:1094 ucbmonet!arnold Apr 26 23:12:00 1983 Ah, now wait. You have made an assumption that isn't (necessarily) valid. The free will vs. determinism argument does not exist because those of us who argue that free will is inconsistent with omniscience believe that free will necessarily exists. I'm not sure it does. However, free will and omniscience are contradictory, yet both are required for (standard) christian theology and belief, since the concept of god punishing you for screwing up only makes sense if god gives you free will, which is inconsitent with its being omniscient. However, if one leaves god out of the discussion (shall we move to net.philosophy now?) the question is not at all clear. The idea that the transition from one state to the next is predictable is only required if something knows the future. It is NOT required otherwise. Things might only proceed from one state to the next along one of several lines of varying probability. Who knows? They might go randomly. Or it may be fully deterministic. You may speculate to your hearts content. Maybe solipism has it all right to begin with... Ken