Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/3/84; site talcott.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!hao!seismo!harvard!wjh12!talcott!gjk
From: gjk@talcott.UUCP (Greg J Kuperberg)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: Re: why FTL is illegal (wrt: free will).
Message-ID: <152@talcott.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Dec-84 21:58:57 EST
Article-I.D.: talcott.152
Posted: Sat Dec  1 21:58:57 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 08:26:32 EST
References: <683@gloria.UUCP> <785@ariel.UUCP>  <148@lems.UUCP>
Organization: Harvard
Lines: 26

> QM (if you believe it) is that the universe is *fundamentally* random; it
> doesn't just appear random because we haven't looked in great enough detail.
> 
> So maybe this fundamental uncertainty is the origin of "free will."
> 
> -les niles

1)  QM, if I believe it?  That's like saying, "The heliocentric theory, if
you believe it."

2)  QM is not necessary for your conclusion.  All you need is a *non-linear
system*.  In a non-linear system, the tiniest local deviation can have
serious global consequences.  It was demonstrated that simply by exciting
one neuron in the human brain, one can cause strange sensations and
hallucinations.  Another example of a highly non-linear system is the
weather.  Thus some people are saying that accurate long-term forecasts are
impossible, because we cannot keep track of every butterfly who flaps his
wings, every particle of air that is influenced by brownian motion, etc.
This non-linearity is the true cause of free will (if one is not a
dualist), rather than QM fluctuations.  Even QM fluctuations are boring and
statistically predictable in a linear system.
---
			Greg Kuperberg
		     harvard!talcott!gjk

"Eureka!" -Archimedes