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Free will, like our concept of ourselves and other objects as identifiable "things", is simply a useful approximation. It is useful to think of an island as a
by Nevermark 4y ago
Free will, like our concept of ourselves and other objects as identifiable "things", is simply a useful approximation.
It is useful to think of an island as a clear concept, with an area and border with the sea. But the more accurately you attempt to identify its shape, at higher and higher resolution, the more complex its perimeter and shape become. Until quantum mechanics kicks in and you have superpositions of particles being exchanged at the border between "land" and "water", etc.
Islands, their perimeters and areas, are real, but they are models, not actually "real" in a fundamental sense.
Likewise, our ability to make our own choices independent of our environment, "choose what we choose", is also real, in a useful self-modeling sort of way.
But if we had complete monitoring access to all our decision making processes, we would quickly realize our decision making is overwhelming implemented with vast subconscious components, that we don't have direct control over, nor were even given the opportunity to "choose".
(I.e. trillions of neurons, synapses, neurotransmitter levels, etc. And that our environment both physically, and via sensory input, constantly and chaotically impacts all of these parameters, in ways we are neither aware of, or can resist. And the quantum nature of our chemistry even further decouples our ability to coherently choose what we choose.)
Free will is a very useful concept in our every day lives.
But free will doesn't exist, even as a viable concept, at any fundamental level.
- mistermann 4y ago> But free will doesn't exist, even as a viable concept, at any fundamental level. Have you not accomplished the impossible: knowing what cannot be known? You may lack free will, but this remarkable ability (involuntary Oracle?) may more than make up for that shortcoming.
- Nevermark 4y agoI agree with you where you are going completely. Being conscious, experiencing, being able to ask these questions, ... it doesn't matter what the answers are. Mysterious or not, waking up to an existence as a self-reflecting hologram in a brain (or whatever poetic analogy fits best) is amazing. No matter our limitations or illusions!
- mistermann 4y agoBut if we were able to collectively realize these things, and take them seriously, don't you think it might be possible to clean up more than a few of the many gong shows humanity has had going on for centuries?
- Nevermark 4y agoI think it is very possible. As long as there are a multitude of self-interested agents, there will be the positive sum game of ethical structures, i.e. consent, capitalism, constructive coordination based on cooperative decision making, including positive and negative externalities (i.e. environment) in economic choices, etc. Self-interested AI's won't want to be marginalized any more than we do. And without our subconscious blunt heuristics, like hard to manage biases, feelings, reflexes, habits, etc., they will have a better chance of getting it right. And on top of all that, the resources in space are coming on line, so a well ordered society shouldn't lack for resources that we should all inherit in their unextracted state. Since they are a gift from nature. A tiny percentage of that value as a common inheritance could easily cover the basic needs of humans and down on their luck AI's.