Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!pdn!colin
From: colin@pdn.UUCP (Colin Kendall)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Free Will & Self-Awareness
Message-ID: <3161@pdn.UUCP>
Date: 18 May 88 09:30:01 GMT
References: <8805151907.AA01702@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <445@aiva.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: Paradyne Corporation, Largo, Florida
Lines: 61

In article <445@aiva.ed.ac.uk>, jeff@aiva.ed.ac.uk (Jeff Dalton) writes:
> In article <8805092354.AA05852@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> eyal@COYOTE.STANFORD.EDU (Eyal Mozes) writes:

> >This is why I consider Ayn Rand's theory of free will to be such an
> >important achievement - because it is the only free-will theory
> >directly confirmed by what anyone can observe in his own thoughts.
> 
> As far as you have explained so far, Rand's theory is little more
> than simply saying that free will = the ability to focus consciousness,
> which we can all observe.  Since we can all observe this without the
> aid of Rand's theory, all Rand seems to be saying is "that's all there
> is to it".
> 

I agree. I'm a strict determinist. But let me make these observations:

1. We can never know whether free will exists, because: If it does
not exist, i.e. if everything is determined, then no matter how
long we discuss it nor how convincingly we argue that free will
does exist, it doesn't matter; we are predestined to do so.
That is, we may be predestined to fool ourselves into believing
in free will; in fact, I believe, many of us are, including Ayn Rand;
but that is no argument for the existence of free will.

2. Therefore, each person *believes* in free will or doesn't.
Free willers may describe this as a result of rational arguments, or
as a leap of faith; I consider it the consequence of an individual's
genetic makeup and life experiences, including being subjected to
arguments for and against free will. 

So I think arguing about whether free will exists is like arguing about
how many angels can dance on the head of a pin - fascinating, no
doubt, to some, but rather pointless. What is interesting is
whether we will try to program free will into artificially intelligent
entities. 

Let us suppose that some AI researchers have constructed such an
entity, and they ask it, "Do you have free will?", and it says,
"Of course". Now, either the researchers will have expected that
answer because of the way they programmed it, or they won't; and
the researchers are either free willers or determinists.

If they had expected that answer, and they are free willers, then they
will not have accomplished anything, because the entity is simply saying
what they programmed it to say, and is not exhibiting free will.

If they had expected that answer, and they are determinists, then they
will be able to say, like me, "See! This poor entity was predestined (by us) 
to believe that he has free will."

If they had not expected that answer, and they are free willers, then they
can say, like me, "See! We have created a being so intelligent that
he, like us, has free will."

If they had not expected that answer, and they are determinists, then they
will attempt to fix their programming error.
-- 
Colin Kendall				Paradyne Corporation
{gatech,akgua}!usfvax2!pdn!colin	Mail stop LF-207
Phone: (813) 530-8697			8550 Ulmerton Road, PO Box 2826
					Largo, FL  33294-2826