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From: bjm@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Bruce McAdam)
Subject: Re: Freedom = Determinism = Random (The heck it does)
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In article <4edl00$d1o@ccshst05.cs.uoguelph.ca>, icarcar@uoguelph.ca (Iskander Carcar) writes:
> In my opinion, I don't believe randomness is _necessary_ for choice.  I can
> very well make a decision which has nothing random about it, which is 
> based on clear (non-random) reasons.
> 
> I think that it is a myth that choice needs to be _random_ to allow us free 
> will.  In fact, I believe the opposite to be true.  I believe we exercise
> free will, not by making random choice, but by making determined decisions.
> 
> I see no paradox between determinism and a free choice, because I believe 
> our decisions are determined, determined by us.

When you say that 'you' are making a free and rational decision, you must 
be proposing some teleological force which moves your body to rationality.

I do not believe that randomness is necessary for choice (or that randomness
exists, but that's another thread) or that we make decisions for 'clear reasons'.
I think that we are deterministic automata.

Many people don't like my view and don't like the idea of a 'soul' (for want
of a better word) so they claim that there is some underlying randomness
which is harnessed to create our cognitive power.

-- 
   ___          ___     Bruce J. McAdam
__/__ \__    __/__ \___ Computer Science Undergraduate
_____|_| \__/_____| |__ The University of Edinburgh
  \____| |_____| |_/    bjm@dcs.ed.ac.uk
     \___/  \___/       http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~bjm/
