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Article 4189 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: santas@inf.ethz.ch (Philip Santas)
Subject: Re: Intelligence and Understanding
Message-ID: <1992Mar2.110650.13158@neptune.inf.ethz.ch>
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Organization: Dept. Informatik, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)
References: <1992Mar1.072408.25643@a.cs.okstate.edu> <1992Mar1.213842.6333@neptune.inf.ethz.ch> <1992Mar1.235957.20999@a.cs.okstate.edu>
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1992 11:06:50 GMT
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In article <1992Mar1.235957.20999@a.cs.okstate.edu> onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu (ONSTOTT CHARLES OR) writes:
> santas@inf.ethz.ch (Philip Santas) writes:
>> onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu (ONSTOTT CHARLES OR) writes:
>>>
>>>   Meaningfulness comes from volition.
>>
>>This is just a definition, which for the sake of the argument I can
>>temporarily accept.
>>
>>>   The system must have volition--in turn which means that it is
>>>   dynamic and creative.
>>
>>What do you mean by creative? Are electrons dynamic and creative?
>  The system is creative..  Electrons may not be; but the system composed of
>them may be.

But what does it mean creative?

>>>   A computer does not have volition.  A computer does not have volition
>>>   because, even as a system, its behavior is presecribed and thus
>>>   predetermined.
>>
>>Possibilities for hardware and software errors always exist.
>  But this is random and not under control.  Pure randomnimity is not
>volitional.

If volition is under control, then I do not see how cannot it be
presecribed and predetermined.

>>>   Predetermination denies volition which in turn denies meaning which
>>>   in turn denies understanding.

But you seem to say that volition is predetermined.
Your arguments are still not valid.

Philip Santas

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email: santas@inf.ethz.ch				 Philip Santas
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