Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id RAA00735 (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 17:23:34 +0100 Message-ID: <012601c0bd22$e32ba540$5eaefea9@rcn.com> From: "Aaron Agassi" <agassi@erols.com> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745D65@inchna.stir.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Determinism Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2001 12:18:29 -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: "Vincent Campbell" <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 11:41 AM
Subject: RE: Determinism
> <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
>
>
I confess that I find your implication of freedom as sheer perversity flying
in the face of better judgement, the more disturbing. And I may even be
forced to concede the possibility. But what kind of freedom is that? Is
there nothing better?
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