Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site mhuxt.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!js2j From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag) Newsgroups: net.philosophy,net.religion Subject: Re: Pfui Message-ID: <1093@mhuxt.UUCP> Date: Tue, 20-Aug-85 11:25:35 EDT Article-I.D.: mhuxt.1093 Posted: Tue Aug 20 11:25:35 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 00:36:01 EDT References: <1276@pyuxd.UUCP> <2145@pucc-h> <1313@pyuxd.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 28 Xref: watmath net.philosophy:2369 net.religion:7438 > > Hmm, it seems your definition of Free Will involves the > > capacity to magically, instantaneously accomplish a decision by > > force of will alone! With such a definition I can see why you do > > not believe it exists! All my definition requirtes is that I have > > the capability of carrying out my decisions as long as I am not > > directly constrained by external forces. I consider the past > > experiences and existing emotional structures which are involved > > in making a decision to be *internal* factors, and thus not in any > > way contradictory to my ability to make decisions. [FRIESEN] > > Yes, you have hit the definition of free will as I understand right on > the head. Actually, what you have hit on the head are the implications > of such a definition of free will as understood by English speaking people. > My point is that we cannot whimsically choose to change the definition of > something that, as you rightly say, does not exist, in order to "get" > the term to point to something that DOES exist. Perhaps you could clear up just one little detail for me, Rich. If the definition of free will which *you* use is the real, historically used definition of the term, why has the existence of 'free will' been a subject of debate for so long? From your definition, it's obvious that 'free will' does not exist, but the existance of free will has been debated by philosophers for centuries, at least. Were they dim, or were they using a different definition? -- Jeff Sonntag ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j "Just them up like regular chicken cuts, do I?" - Yoda