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From: minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky)
Subject: Re: Free Will
Message-ID: <1996Jan25.172014.1140@media.mit.edu>
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Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
References: <4du5gq$tj@ixnews8.ix.netcom.com> <1996Jan22.063146.20773@media.mit.edu> <4e86vf$jjl@ixnews6.ix.netcom.com>
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Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 17:20:14 GMT
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Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.ai.philosophy:37013 comp.ai:36317 sci.philosophy.meta:23643

In article <4e86vf$jjl@ixnews6.ix.netcom.com> elabonte@ix.netcom.com(Edward LaBonte ) writes:
>In <1996Jan22.063146.20773@media.mit.edu> minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin
>Minsky) writes: 

>>...  We also use the idea of freedom of will to justify
>>our judgments about good and evil. 

>I really wonder how much our behavior actually is influenced by our
>ethical justifications. You seem to accept the fact that freedom of
>will is a myth. Have you noticed that your acceptance of this fact has
>made you any less responsible? The fact remains that our behavior has
>consequences and those consequences have an effect on our (future)
>behavior.

Yes, I think that my rejection of the freedom-of-will myth has made me
less responsible, in the sense that I'm become much less sure about ethical
questions.  The result is that I more often ask other people what they
think, rather than make my own decision.  Paradoxically, of course, I
*feel* less constrained and more free.

>Also there are many cultures that have no such concept and yet maintain
>strong ethical standards. 

Yes.  I notice that even in this intelligent newsgroup, many people
talk as though ethical standards are objective. As in "Thou shall not
kill, except for blashpemous members of other religious groups."

>Is it possible to self-conciously create a myth? 

I once visited L. Ron Hubbard, after he invented his "engram"-based
psychology theory but before he started his religion, Scientology.  I
found him to have an impressively hypnotic presence (not to me, but to
most others who were present).  The story goes that he had bet John
Campbell that he could invent one--and he did.  I can't vouch for
that, but we could ask some of Campbell's friends what they remember
about it.
