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From: bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Barry W. Kort)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Free will and responsibility.
Summary: Control is an illusion.
Keywords: Observer, Feedback Loop, Values, Goals, Caring
Message-ID: <52019@linus.UUCP>
Date: 1 May 89 13:21:06 GMT
References: <10333@ihlpb.ATT.COM> <3850@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> <387@nbires.nbi.com> <17754@cup.portal.com>
Sender: news@linus.UUCP
Reply-To: bwk@mbunix (Barry Kort)
Organization: Garden Golems, Inc., Norbert, WI
Lines: 42

I have been following the discussion on control, with its allusions
to free will and coercion.  Since I have some interest in Control
Theory, perhaps I can offer a fresh insight or two.

In classical feedback control theory, there are two fundamental
conditions which must be met if a system is to be controllable.
First, there must exist an input channel which the controller
can manipulate such that she can drive the system to any desired
state.  The second fundamental condition, which most lay people
overlook, is that the output of the system must be observable.

To illustrate, let us say you are behind the wheel of your favorite
sports car, hands firmly gripping the wheel.  If the steering wheel
is not connected to the steering mechanism, you have no control
of the vehicle.  But a mechanically sound car is not enough.   You
also have to be able to see where you are on the road.  Try driving
a car blindfolded.  If you cannot see the output of the system,
you cannot control it.

This brings us back to coercion.  The classical defense against
coercion is to conceal the output from the controller.  The
controller is left with the illusion of control, but the system
being controlled splits into a controlled portion which is visible
to the controller, and an uncontrolled portion which is concealed
from the controller.

A better strategy is to empower a system to become self-regulating.
To do this, one abandons the notion of control in favor of the notion
of reliable observer.  The observer doesn't direct the system, it
merely reports actual behavior relative to a goal.  While this idea
is fairly modern in terms of feedback control theory, it actually
goes back some 5000 years to the ancient notion of Witness.  In order
for the feedback control loop to operate properly, the Observer must
bear accurate witness.  This is what coaches do in Athletics and
Drama.  Failure to bear accurate witness is a common cause of failure
in feedback loops.

To summarize, in order to empower ourselves to achieve high levels
of autonomous self-control, we have to pay close attention to each
other.  Another word for that is Caring.

--Barry Kort