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From: cwp@otter.hple.hp.com (Chris Preist)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Free Will & Self-Awareness
Message-ID: <2070013@otter.hple.hp.com>
Date: 3 May 88 15:46:10 GMT
References: <1484@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol, UK.
Lines: 41

O.S. writes...
 
>> I would like to learn how to imbue silicon with consciousness,
>> awareness, free will, and a value system.
>
>  First, by requesting that, you are underastimating yourself as a free-willing
> creature, and second, your request is self-contradicting ans shows little
> understanding of matters, like free will and value systems - such things cannot
> be 'given', they simply exist. (Something to beare in mind for other perpuses,
> besides to AI...). You can write 'moral' programs, even in BASIC, if you want,
> because they will have YOUR value system....

Sorry, but not correct. While it is quite possible that the goal of 'imbuing
silicon with a value system' may never bge fulfilled, it is NOT correct to 
say that values simply exist.

Did my value system exist before my conception? I doubt it. I learnt it, 
through interaction with the environment and other people. Similarly, a
(possibly deterministic) program MAY be able to learn a value system, as
well as what an arch looks like. Simply because we have values, does not
mean we are free.

On the question of Free Will - simply because someone denies that we are
truly free, does not mean they have little understanding of the matter.
As Sartre pointed out, we have an overwhelming SUBJECTIVE sensation of 
freedom. Questioning this sensation is a major step, but a step which
has to be made. Up to now, the problem has been purely metaphysical. An
answer was impossible. But now, AI provides an investigation into 
deterministic intelligence. I believe it IS important for AI researchers
to make an effort to understand the philosophical arguments on both sides.
Maybe your heart will lie on one of those sides, but the mind must remain
as open as possible.

Chris Preist


P.S. Note that AI only provides a semi decision procedure to the problem
of free will. Determinism would be proven (though even this is debatable)
if an 'intelligent' deterministic system were created. However, if objective
free will exists, then we could hack away with the infinite monkeys, all
to no avail.