Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!versatc!mips!prls!philabs!linus!mbunix!bwk
From: bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Barry W. Kort)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Free will and responsibility.
Summary: Michael sneaks in the evidence through the back door.
Keywords: Belief in Evidence and Evidence of Belief
Message-ID: <56043@linus.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jun 89 21:53:35 GMT
References: <10333@ihlpb.ATT.COM> <3850@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> <52019@linus.UUCP> <1309@lzfme.att.com> <1966@ucsfcca.ucsf.edu> <5 <54608@linus.UUCP> <127@unix.SRI.COM>
Sender: news@linus.UUCP
Reply-To: bwk@mbunix (Barry Kort)
Organization: Iconoclastics, Idolwilde Field
Lines: 26

In article <127@unix.SRI.COM> ellis@chips2.sri.com.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
asserts that I failed to convince him that I am not completely
deterministic (even though he already believes so by way of
his own independent logic).  Michael wrote:

 > > >    You did not convince me, and I am a hardcore libertarian.

To which I puckishly retorted:

 > > Michael, if you wish me to believe that assertion, you will have
 > > to provide some more persuasive evidence to convince me.  :-)

To which Michael vigorously reasserts:

 >    Really. You absolutely did not convince me. No kidding. 
 >    Honor bright.
 >    I swear, you really didn't convince me. 

I assure you that I am in receipt of your assertion, Michael.  But
I still await persuasive evidence of its accuracy.  (Vigorous assertion
does not constitute proof in my system of logic.  On the other hand,
your  remark that you already believed that I was not completely
deterministic does provide evidence that my proof failed simply
because it came too late to cause you to adopt the belief in question.)

--Barry Kort