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From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: "free" again
Message-ID: <1402@pyuxd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Aug-85 18:35:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1402
Posted: Fri Aug  2 18:35:56 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 6-Aug-85 09:03:41 EDT
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Organization: Whatever we're calling ourselves this week
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> One of the criteria for selecting or creating a meaning for
> a word is usefulness.  That is the epistemological principle
> of economy in concepts.
> 
> It is true that the meanings of "free will" used by Rosen
> and Torek (excepting r-e-a) have been used for a long time.
> However, there is one important difference between the two.
> Rosen's meaning is entirely useless (except as an
> argumentative foil!).  For that reason, it would be
> epistemological treason to yield to Rosen's contention that
> "free will" means what he says it does (despite historical
> precedent), let alone merely what he says it does; better
> to not bother arguing that point. [HUDSON]

It is true that the meaning of the word unicorn as commonly used
has been in existence for a long time.  However, that meaning
is entirely useless!!  It does not describe a real thing that
exists!  Thus, let's change the meaning of the word unicorn so
that it becomes "useful".  Let's, say, make it equivalent to
"horse".  There now we have unicorns.  And we all WANT to have
unicorns, just like we want to have freedom, right?  So it must
have been the "right" thing to do...

> Rosen's definition deviates from extending the common
> meaning of "free", which is not a matter of "micro" versus
> "macro", or "now" versus "the past", but of perspective and
> degree.

Thus if I perceive or feel that I am free, I am.  May I recommend
Aldous Huxley's book "Brave New World".  After reading that, tell me
if those "everybody's happy nowadays" people are free.
-- 
"There!  I've run rings 'round you logically!"
"Oh, intercourse the penguin!"			Rich Rosen    ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr