Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id QAA00411 (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 16:44:55 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745D65@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 16:41:22 +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
<No, just the opposite:
> The less you know, the more options may seem viable. But the more one
> knows,
> the more choices are eliminated, because it becomes clear that they would
> not achieve the desired outcome. if one had perfect knowledge, there would
> always be only one optimum decision in ever circumstance. No range of
> choice.>
>
Ah, I see, I understand. But doesn't that have a normative
assumption, that with perfect knowledge one would be compelled to make the
optimum decision? Why should one make this assumption? Surely one is not
compelled to do what is optimum- or is that just a feature of the "real
world" impossibility of perfect knowledge (i.e. no-one behaves that way
because no-one has perfect knowledge)?
Besides, I don't much like this designation of freedom as lack of
knowledge, which is essentially what's being stated. Perhaps I'm thinking
too much about the concept in terms of its usage in political philosophy.
Vincent
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