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From: Jeff.Cunningham@attatl  (jeff cunningham)
Subject: Re: Reality in Simulations
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Date: Tue, 18 Oct 1994 17:47:00 GMT
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In Article <CxsH4q.5vx@umassd.edu> "neverett@umassd.edu" says:
> After playing with SimLife, I have been pondering the simulated
> existance of these computer generated creatures.  I have one 
> question, though...
> 
> Does an individual have to posses free will to exist?
> 
> -Nate
> 
 
depending on how you define individual would be my first question.  first
glance at your question made me think yes.  but existance in itself does
not include personality(i haven't yet met a rock with personality) and imho,
free will is tied up with this phenomenon called personality.
 
back to simlife, if your creations were given choices, real choices, not a
machine/chemical deterministic set of possible outcomes, i would say that
they not only have existance, but part of them would be outside the machine,
so to speak.  i don't know a whole lot of technical stuff about AI, but
i have always thought that AI would be hopelessly incomplete without the
presence of free will,  defining free will as being a non-determined choice.
 
and for my question,
 
how does one learn free will?  or is intrinsic to our nature?  how would 
you teach a learning machine what a moral is?  are WE programmed?
 
jeff
 
 

