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From: lip@masscomp.UUCP (John Lipinski)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: my belief
Message-ID: <763@masscomp.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-Aug-85 16:43:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: masscomp.763
Posted: Mon Aug 12 16:43:02 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Aug-85 08:37:20 EDT
References: <8510@watarts.UUCP> <371@scgvaxd.UUCP>
Reply-To: lip@masscomp.UUCP (John Lipinski)
Organization: Masscomp - Westford, MA
Lines: 27

In article <626@psivax.UUCP> friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) writes:
>I am *sorry*, but if I make a decision to do something
>I see no reason why I cannot be free to accomplish that goal in any
>manner that works. 

True, you can use any method you like, but the manner you  choose will be
determined by your experiences and environment.

>If I decide to like something and I conclude that
>self-conditioning is the most effective way of doing this, then why
>is that contrary to free-will, since the conditioning process was
>initiated by *my* decision, not external control. 

A decision necessarily implies a desire.  When you make a decision and act,
you do so because of a desire.  You are not free because you can never
escape the shackle of desire.  No matter what you do, you are bound to do
what you want.  

Furthermore, your decision is shaped by external factors and experiences.
Your mind remembers what actions resulted in reward and which ones resulted
in failure.  You've learned things and certain concepts have an effect on
your mind.  How can you expect to commit an action without a cause?
Every action has a cause or causes, simple or complex, depending on how deep
one wants to examine the action.  It would be conceited and self-deceptive
to think that humans are exempt from the eternal  chain of cause and effect.

			- John Lipinski  {ihnp4,decvax}!masscomp!lip