Re: On Determinism

Peter.H.M.Brooks@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

If it isn't, then there is a simple question. Some people are known to
be 'more spontaneous' than others [other people seek to be 'more
spontaneous' but that is another matter]. If you accept this is the
case, then it would seem that it is more part of personality than
'random'. Or do some personalities have more access to 'randomness'
than others? If they do, what do you think the mechanism might be by
which they access this 'randomness'?


Spontaneity as used in natural language, often considered as
something desirable, is not the same thing as randomness -- someone
with tourette syndrome is not usually considered spontaneous in this
sense. I am saying that randomness is a necessary component of
spontaneity, not that they are the same thing.

As for someone having more access to randomness, I don't see any
problem with that. Assuming a source of randomness (say, the movement
of some molecules in the brain), different neural networks could tap
differently into it: some networks would be linked extensively to it,
others less so; some networks could have a higher threshold for acting
on that randomness; and some networks could have an inhibitory effect
on the transmission of that randomness into other parts of the brain. I
don't see any difficulty with such an account in principle.


We'd see somebody jump of a bridge, go on an alcoholic bender or
emmigrate to China on an apparent whim and simply remark - 'Ah,
randomness', and think little more of the matter. I think, further,
that we wouldn't think of some people as 'mad' or 'eccentric', just as
people who had had a bit of a rash of 'randomness' recently. Similarly
anybody arrested on any charge could get off by appeal to a bit of
'randomness' appearing that led him to 'spontaneously' dismember his
wife. After all, if 'spontaneity' is just 'randomness' then nobody can
be applauded or blamed for its effects.

At least that seems a reasonable argument to me. I know that, in this
group recently, we've had it argued that nobody whose behaviour is
determined in any way can be held responsible for it, but I find that
much more difficult to see as reasonable.

Regarding moral responsibility, as I've argued in another post, I
see the issue as somewhat orthogonal to the determinism vs. free-will
debate.
However, one conceivable theory would be that in a purely
deterministic world, as well as in a world evolving in a purely random
manner, the concept of responsibility for one's actions makes no sense.
But an action determined by my brain, against the background of
randomness, and only in contrast with randomness, can be said to be an
action for which I can be held responsible.
I don't have an extensively developed theory on these lines
however.

Nor do I have much time on my hands at this moment to engage in any
long debates, so my replies may be scarce.

Cheers,
Alex

.

Relevant Pages

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