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From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: External Influences
Message-ID: <1725@pyuxd.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 21:12:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1725
Posted: Tue Sep 17 21:12:43 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Sep-85 03:48:59 EDT
References: <3518@decwrl.UUCP> <1451@pyuxd.UUCP> <661@psivax.UUCP>
Organization: Whatever we're calling ourselves this week
Lines: 24

>>Yes, one can get a consistent definition of free will in this way [by
>>considering "external influences" to refer to those *currently* influencing 
>>objects which are external to the person --pvt].  But you don't want it.  
>>It obliges to grant that my computer, which is a running a program I
>>entered and commanded it to run some time ago, is exhibiting free will.[ADAMS]

> Nay, there's a difference.  An act of "free will" is caused by a *conscious
> mind*.  (By the way, I've thought about T. Dave Hudson's argument that
> free will should be *defined* via the notion of activity caused by a
> conscious mind; and that r-e-a should not be built into the definition of
> free will but should be part of the explanation of it, as one of the 
> conditions for it.  (I hope I represent his views accurately.)  Mr. Hudson,
> take a bow:  you've convinced me (no easy feat! :->).) [TOREK]

Great.  An act of free will is causes by a conscious mind.  (Never mind the
fact that it has nothing to do with the definition, but Eric Blair said
redefining words would be the status quo by just around last year...)  And
how do you now define a conscious mind, as opposed to something else?  Does
a cat have a conscious mind?  "Why, no, it doesn't have free will, so it can't
be..."  (Or maybe it does this week...)  Round and round and round and it comes
out at square one.
-- 
"There!  I've run rings 'round you logically!"
"Oh, intercourse the penguin!"			Rich Rosen    ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr


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