Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA24256 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 3 Apr 2001 15:13:24 +0100 Message-ID: <001c01c0bc47$b61e1aa0$5eaefea9@rcn.com> From: "Aaron Agassi" <agassi@erols.com> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <3AC904E5.10167.246146@localhost> <3AC9A569.258C00E9@bioinf.man.ac.uk> <20010403122328.A661@reborntechnology.co.uk> Subject: Re: Determinism Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2001 10:09:34 -0400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robin Faichney" <robin@reborntechnology.co.uk>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2001 7:23 AM
Subject: Re: Determinism
> On Tue, Apr 03, 2001 at 11:26:49AM +0100, Chris Taylor wrote:
> > > To completely model a system, first, your map would have to be
> > > coextensive with the territory, thus doubling it; then you'd need a
> > > map to represent the Heideggerian change that mapping, which
> > > requires perception of, therefore interaction with, would make to the
> > > system, then another map of this further altering recursion, and so
> > > on ad nauseum ad infinitum. Due to this infinite progress, it is, IN
> > > PRINCIPLE, impossible to completely represent a concrete
> > > empirical system, such as a mind or an ecology.
> >
> > The practical difficulties of the mapping aren't really relevant. The
> > point is that *in principle* if you could have perfect knowledge you
> > could perfectly predict. There are no ghosts in any machines. In
> > practice we can only work within practical boundaries.
>
> It is, IN PRINCIPLE, impossible to have perfect knowledge. This makes
> your scenario meaningless.
>
Bullshit! The perfect knowledge here discussed is not a necessary premise
for ant conclusion, but merely a hypothetical for the purpose of
illustration of an idea difficult to express otherwise.
Let's rephrase the question:
Is there any other reason for any different effect, except for different
cause? Determinism says no. But if Determinism isn't true, then the answer
is yes. But what would that additional factor be? I am aware of no clear
answer.
> --
> Robin Faichney
> Get your Meta-Information from http://www.ii01.org
> (CAUTION: contains philosophy, may cause heads to spin)
>
>
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