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From: kovsky@netcom.com (Robert Kovsky)
Subject: Re: What is Free Will????
Message-ID: <kovskyCwpvuG.LKC@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
References: <space1CwHoKM.9F1@netcom.com> <35t46r$a2g@tadpole.fc.hp.com> <35tdtd$gg3@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> <35uqcq$io2@tadpole.fc.hp.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 1994 03:18:15 GMT
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In article <35uqcq$io2@tadpole.fc.hp.com>,
Brent Allsop <allsop@fc.hp.com> wrote:
>
>> And choosing the "best possible" option opens up an entirely
>> different can of worms....
>
>	(Hisss Booo.  No.  IMHO) The important thing is knowing what
>is the best possible and then having the ability to get it.  What your
>talking about here is indeed an entirely different and unimportant can
>of worms.
>
>> we don't always choose the best possible option,
>
>	If so, then this lack of ability to consciously choose the
>best, again, destroys free will.  If people have the proper upbringing
>and the proper neural wiring (and who know what else...)  they are
>more able to consciously choose what is the best and thereby have more
>free will.

Often the concepts "the best possible" and "free will" (or freedom) do 
not fit together.  "The best possible" implies that the choices are all 
comparable on some scale.  Are apples at 89 cents a pound a "better" buy 
than grapes ar $1.19 a pound?  Indeed, you may think more clearly about 
freedom if you consider choices that are not commensurable.

-- 

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    Bob Kovsky          |  A Natural Science of Freedom 
    kovsky@netcom.com   |  Materials available by anonymous ftp
                        |  At ftp.netcom.com/pub/freeedom
*   *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *   * 
