Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!ucbvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-kirk!williams From: williams@kirk.DEC (John Williams 223-3402) Newsgroups: net.philosophy Subject: EXAMPLE INCLUDED Message-ID: <3484@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 13:12:33 EDT Article-I.D.: decwrl.3484 Posted: Tue Aug 6 13:12:33 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 10-Aug-85 04:56:24 EDT Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 17 Let's say I have an arbitrary choice between going to the toy store, or going to the candy store. I have trouble deciding because I want both, but I can't possibly be in two places at the same time, and I have a limited amount of money I can spend at that time. This is called an arbitrary choice, and can further be defined as metastability, that is, carefully balanced between two or more states or decisions. If I were to wait until one of the choices became more desirable, I might be there forever, so, I make an arbitrary choice. I have no way of fully comprehending why I would choose one over the other, I want both equally. This is where even the least significant influence can have a profound effect. What I was trying to demonstrate is how an unmeasureable influence can affect your behaviour. This is a good example of a decision that has a high degree of freedom. John.