Re: Free Will (was Re: virus: Re: Rationality)

Alex Williams (thantos@decatl.alf.dec.com)
Sun, 9 Mar 1997 17:44:55 -0500 (EST)


> The reason I like this angle on free will is because it corresponds closely
> with our intuitive notions about what does and doesn't have free will,
> and defines it in such a way that is possible to analyse it further using
> concepts such as information, computation and control (cybernetics).
>
> Does this make sense?

Its intriguing, looking at it from the Steersman perspective. I'm not
sure whether it allows you to explain that `free will' under this
analysis has anything to do with `free will' as commonly described,
however, and have the common folk /not/ tell you to find another term
for it.

Clearly, this is an interesting and useful means of analyzing
behaviour; I am, however, not sure if its really meaningful in the
context of the current discussion. One can have `free will' in this
cybernetic sense and the inquirers after `free will' in the more
common one will vigorously argue the position.