ayl%hutds.hut.fi@FINGATE.BITNET (Antti Ylikoski) (05/09/88)
I've had a superficial look at the discussion involving free will and self-awareness in AIList. In my opinion, what we mean with the English word "will" depends upon the philosophical viewpoint of the person in whose world the noun exists. "Will" might be a collection of neurological and psychological mechanisms (ah ... like the frontal lobes being the central controller of the brain). The noun "will" gets another meaning if we consider one's responsibility of his deeds, to mankind, and ... for those who are religious ... to God. CIA is said to hypnotize people to commit murders. The questions arise whether they are evil ... whether they committed a sin ... whether they did their crimes of their "free will". And "self-awareness" ... in my opinion, simply, the mental processes of humans are so complicated and developed we can form good models of ourselves. Antti Ylikoski