Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!ucbvax!gcc-milo.UUCP!zrm From: zrm@GCC-MILO.UUCP (Zigurd R. Mednieks) Newsgroups: mod.ai Subject: Re: Alan Watts on AI Message-ID: <8603081600.AA09331@gcc-milo.ARPA> Date: Sat, 8-Mar-86 11:00:34 EST Article-I.D.: gcc-milo.8603081600.AA09331 Posted: Sat Mar 8 11:00:34 1986 Date-Received: Thu, 13-Mar-86 00:03:48 EST References: <12187381242.43.ALTENBERG@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA> Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: General Computer Company; Cambridge MA Lines: 15 Approved: ailist@sri-ai.arpa The excerpt from Alan Watts is instructive. Like many who do not have the patience to look into their own examples, he claims the source of his hair is unfathomable and so the source of our thoughts is equally out of our reach. He should speak only for himself. I know, to a certain extent, how my hair grows. Even worse, Watts clouds the issue. There is a valid point in that even though I know how it is that I have hair, I can't alter the way it grows. Similarly, even if I knew in great detail the causes of my thoughts and ideas, I might not be able to alter their course. Perhaps Zen just isn't relevent to AI. -Zigurd