Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id MAA28712 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 4 Apr 2001 12:49:22 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745D5E@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Determinism Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2001 12:45:39 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Why does perfect knowledge negate freedom?
(BTW, this is not a challenge, just a question).
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Robin Faichney
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Wednesday, April 4, 2001 9:14 am
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: Re: Determinism
>
> On Tue, Apr 03, 2001 at 05:46:17PM -0400, Aaron Agassi wrote:
> >
> > > > > > 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.
> > > >
> > > Uncertainty is both necessary and sufficient for freedom.
> > >
> > Just what is Uncertainty?
>
> Uncertainty is the state of not knowing. (Don't you have a dictionary,
> Aaron?) Perfect knowledge negates freedom, but perfect knowledge is
> acheivable neither in practice nor in theory, so freedom is not negated.
>
> As long as people try to understand freedom as a physical phenomenon,
> confusion will reign.
>
> --
> Robin Faichney
> Get your Meta-Information from http://www.ii01.org
> (CAUTION: contains philosophy, may cause heads to spin)
>
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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