From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!ihps3!ihuxv!portegys
Newsgroups: net.misc
Title: Can determinism be proven?
Article-I.D.: ihuxv.213
Posted: Mon Aug  9 14:51:57 1982
Received: Tue Aug 10 03:49:42 1982

I think that it is not possible for a being contained in
a system to ever know the system completely.  Because, to
know the system completely would be to also understand
itself within the system completely, which would be a model
of itself contained within a model of itself contained within
a model of itself ... an infinite regress.

This bears on determinism vs free will in that I think in
order to show one vs the other, it is necessary to have
a perfect knowledge of the world, which cannot be done.

So, if you can't choose conclusively between them, why
not just use the one that fits the situation best? For
science, determinism seems to be most appropriate. For
accounting for a person's responsibilities within society,
I think a free will model works better.

                                   Tom Portegys