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From: minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky)
Subject: Free Will
Message-ID: <1996Jan12.031550.20196@media.mit.edu>
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Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 03:15:50 GMT
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In article <4d3qo1$ko9@hpindda.cup.hp.com> seshadri@cup.hp.com (Raghu Seshadri) writes:

>: : Where do you think the desire to do something comes from? It doesn't
>: : come from the will because I don't will myself to desire.  Therefore no
>: : matter where the desire comes from it definitely originates outside the
>: : will. I assume that it is caused by my physical state but even if it is
>: : not it is the desire that determines the actions of the will. Every
>: : willful action is preceded by the desire to act. The will is therefore
>: : not free.

>: Good point.

>Yes, it is a good point, but raises additional questions. Very often
we control our desire by an effort of will. How do you explain that ?

I discussed this in The Society of Mind, Section 4.6   

"Those who really seek the path to Enlightenment dictate terms to
their mind. Then they proceed with strong determination."  QBUDDHA

The episode of Professor Challenger showed just one way we can control
ourselves: by exploiting an emotional aversion in order to accomplish
an intellectual purpose. Consider all the other kinds of tricks we use
to try to force ourselves to work when we're tired or distracted.

WILLPOWER: Tell yourself, "Don't give in to that," or, "Keep on
trying."

Such self-injunctions can work at firstQbut finally they always fail,
as though some engine in the mind runs out of fuel. Another style of
self- control involves more physical activity:

ACTIVITY: Move around. Exercise. Inhale. Shout.

Certain physical acts are peculiarly effective, especially the facial
expressions involved in social communication: they affect the sender
as much as the recipient.

EXPRESSION: Set jaw. Stiffen upper lip. Furrow brow.

Another kind of stimulating act is moving to a stimulating place. And
we often perform actions that directly change the brain's chemical
environment.

CHEMISTRY: Take coffee, amphetamines, or other brain-affecting 
drugs.

Then there are actions in the mind with which we set up thoughts and 
fantasies that move our own emotions, arousing hopes and fears through

self-directed offers, bribes, and even threats.

EMOTION: "If I win, there's much to gain, but more to lose if I fail!"

Perhaps most powerful of all are those actions that promise gain or
loss of the regard of certain special persons.

ATTACHMENT: Imagine admiration if you succeedQor disapproval if 
you failQ especially from those to whom you are attached.

So many schemes for self-control! How do we choose which ones to use?
There isn't any easy way. Self-discipline takes years to learn; it
grows inside us stage by stage.


