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From: ark@rabbit.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Rational conviction vs. gut level belief
Message-ID: <2215@rabbit.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 19-Nov-83 09:33:52 EST
Article-I.D.: rabbit.2215
Posted: Sat Nov 19 09:33:52 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Nov-83 02:20:54 EST
References: <370@pucc-h>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 9

Something stronger than rationality or emotion?  I'd call it a conditioned
reflex (or, in some cases, an innate reflex).  If you are wired up to electrodes
so that you can get a shock, and you hear a bell ring and then get
the shock, you will eventually get to a state where you will flinch
from the expected shock when you hear the bell.  I claim that if this
is done enough, you will be unable to keep from flinching even if you
first cut the wires to the electrodes, thus making the shock impossible.

As for innate things, try keeping your eyes open while you sneeze.