What is Choice?What is Choice?

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

9 January 20129 January 2012

First IdeasFirst Ideas

• 1. Choices determine actions1. Choices determine actions• 2. Actions have consequences2. Actions have consequences• 3. Consider consequences before 3. Consider consequences before

actingacting• 4. Make choices that improve your 4. Make choices that improve your

lifelife• 5. Make choices that improve the 5. Make choices that improve the

lives of friends / family memberslives of friends / family members• 6. Make choices that benefit your 6. Make choices that benefit your

society / environmentsociety / environment

Fundamental AssumptionsFundamental Assumptions

• These teachings rely on the assumption that we These teachings rely on the assumption that we live in a universe in which choices matter, in live in a universe in which choices matter, in which free will reigns supremewhich free will reigns supreme

• Obviously, you don’t have to choose to breathe, Obviously, you don’t have to choose to breathe, or to make your heart beat at a certain rateor to make your heart beat at a certain rate– Those things are just unconscious responses to stimuliThose things are just unconscious responses to stimuli

• That, however, is why we think choices have That, however, is why we think choices have valuevalue– It’s what allows the “actor” (i.e., the person making the It’s what allows the “actor” (i.e., the person making the

decision) to do something that exceeds/differs from an decision) to do something that exceeds/differs from an automatic responseautomatic response

– This makes us worth more than our machinesThis makes us worth more than our machines

• But what if we’re working with incorrect But what if we’re working with incorrect assumptions?assumptions?

Universal CausalityUniversal Causality• Universal causalityUniversal causality (abbreviated as “UC,” and (abbreviated as “UC,” and

also called “also called “determinismdeterminism”) questions those ”) questions those assumptionsassumptions

• UC proponents assert that every effect has a UC proponents assert that every effect has a cause, which is in turn the effect of another cause, which is in turn the effect of another cause cause – One wonders what the original “cause” was!One wonders what the original “cause” was!

• Because cause/effect sequences aren’t isolated, Because cause/effect sequences aren’t isolated, they bleed into one another continuouslythey bleed into one another continuously– Hence the “universal” in UCHence the “universal” in UC

• Therefore, Therefore, everythingeverything that occurs (including that occurs (including every “choice”) simply represents the inevitable every “choice”) simply represents the inevitable after-effect of some seen/unseen causeafter-effect of some seen/unseen cause

UC ContinuedUC Continued

• If that’s the case, UC proponents If that’s the case, UC proponents continue, we actors aren’t making continue, we actors aren’t making choiceschoices– We’re simply vessels for cause/effect We’re simply vessels for cause/effect

delivery, the means by which the delivery, the means by which the universe maintains itselfuniverse maintains itself

• We’re deceiving ourselves if we We’re deceiving ourselves if we believe our “choices” allow us to do believe our “choices” allow us to do something other than we were something other than we were “meant” to do through cause and “meant” to do through cause and effecteffect– This was Einstein’s world-viewThis was Einstein’s world-view

The Deity ArgumentThe Deity Argument

• The deity in question is omnipotent The deity in question is omnipotent and omniscient (all-powerful and all-and omniscient (all-powerful and all-seeing), which makes said deity seeing), which makes said deity infallibleinfallible

• As an all-seeing being, it sees the As an all-seeing being, it sees the future – and as an infallible being, it future – and as an infallible being, it sees it unerringlysees it unerringly

• But since the deity can’t possibly be But since the deity can’t possibly be wrong about the future, we are only wrong about the future, we are only capable of what it already sees, and capable of what it already sees, and can’t possibly do otherwisecan’t possibly do otherwise

The Logic ArgumentThe Logic Argument

• This argument rests on the Excluded This argument rests on the Excluded Middle and Noncontradiction LawsMiddle and Noncontradiction Laws

• The former states that absolutes The former states that absolutes exist for every propositionexist for every proposition

• Either P or Not P is true, with no Either P or Not P is true, with no middle ground (hello, Baselines!)middle ground (hello, Baselines!)

• The latter merely states that P and The latter merely states that P and Not P can’t logically be true at the Not P can’t logically be true at the same timesame time

The Logic Argument Cont’dThe Logic Argument Cont’d

• Let our proposition Let our proposition (P)(P) be “David, you’re be “David, you’re going to fail your final tomorrow.”going to fail your final tomorrow.”

• He either will or won’t; obviously, he can’t He either will or won’t; obviously, he can’t fail and pass simultaneouslyfail and pass simultaneously

• If P is a true statement, nothing that If P is a true statement, nothing that happens between now and tomorrow will happens between now and tomorrow will stop him from failingstop him from failing

• If P is untrue…well, nothing that between If P is untrue…well, nothing that between now and tomorrow will stop him from now and tomorrow will stop him from succeedingsucceeding

The Logic Argument Cont’dThe Logic Argument Cont’d

• It looks like David has two “options”It looks like David has two “options”• Either he’ll pass, or he’ll failEither he’ll pass, or he’ll fail• However, we’ve already established that However, we’ve already established that

only one can be trueonly one can be true• Therefore, one of the “options” is Therefore, one of the “options” is

necessarily false – a fake choicenecessarily false – a fake choice• Since only one of the options is really Since only one of the options is really

present, David is powerless to choose the present, David is powerless to choose the otherother

• In order to be free, you have to have In order to be free, you have to have choices – choices – and David doesn’t really have and David doesn’t really have themthem

• Scary!Scary!

So Free Will Doesn’t Exist? So Free Will Doesn’t Exist? Thanks for Ruining Monday…Thanks for Ruining Monday…

• Not necessarily! People have Not necessarily! People have arguments for free will as wellarguments for free will as well

• For the “deity” argument, we For the “deity” argument, we assume the being can perfectly see assume the being can perfectly see the things it controlsthe things it controls

• Because it knows its creations, it can Because it knows its creations, it can accurately predict any possible accurately predict any possible choice one could make in response choice one could make in response to a given situation…but that’s to a given situation…but that’s exactly why it can still grant us free exactly why it can still grant us free willwill

The Chess PlayerThe Chess Player• Think of a great chess playerThink of a great chess player• He sees the endgame, predicts the actions of He sees the endgame, predicts the actions of

the other player, and brings about the steps the other player, and brings about the steps to make that endgame realto make that endgame real

• But he doesn’t need to absolutely control the But he doesn’t need to absolutely control the actions of the other player (move his pieces) actions of the other player (move his pieces) in order to make it happenin order to make it happen

• ““We are responsible human beings, not blind We are responsible human beings, not blind automatons; persons, not puppets. By automatons; persons, not puppets. By endowing us with freedom, God relinquished endowing us with freedom, God relinquished a measure of his own sovereignty and a measure of his own sovereignty and imposed certain limitations upon himself.” – imposed certain limitations upon himself.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.

What About Sean?What About Sean?• As for the “logic” scenario, let’s say that David As for the “logic” scenario, let’s say that David

really, really doesn’t want to fail his finalreally, really doesn’t want to fail his final• Let’s also say he’s “destined” to pass. (Whew.)Let’s also say he’s “destined” to pass. (Whew.)• Does this really mean he has no choice?Does this really mean he has no choice?• After all, there are different ways to passAfter all, there are different ways to pass• David can study alone, study with friends, speak David can study alone, study with friends, speak

with his instructor (always a good idea), or even with his instructor (always a good idea), or even cheat (tsk tsk)cheat (tsk tsk)

• In any case, David still has choices within his In any case, David still has choices within his outcome! outcome!

• You know you’re going to eat, but you don’t You know you’re going to eat, but you don’t necessarily know what you’ll eat – and that necessarily know what you’ll eat – and that decision could very well be yours after all!decision could very well be yours after all!

• Is that the definition of free will?Is that the definition of free will?

Arguments Favoring Free WillArguments Favoring Free Will

• As previously stated, As previously stated, dedeterministsterminists argued that your argued that your only free actions are ones you do without cause only free actions are ones you do without cause – But since the Ds believe in UC, everything has a cause – But since the Ds believe in UC, everything has a cause –

so, in short, you can’t do anything freelyso, in short, you can’t do anything freely• IndeterministsIndeterminists also argue that your only free also argue that your only free

actions are ones you do without cause – actions are ones you do without cause – “uncaused” free actions “uncaused” free actions

• However, they say, we’re obviously free, so why However, they say, we’re obviously free, so why buy into any argument that tries to convince that buy into any argument that tries to convince that what you know to be true isn’t – especially since what you know to be true isn’t – especially since UC isn’t really a scientific principle?UC isn’t really a scientific principle?

• I’m going to be honest: I don’t like the incurious I’m going to be honest: I don’t like the incurious attitude of “Well, this is obvious, so I’m going to attitude of “Well, this is obvious, so I’m going to ignore everything to the contrary”…but your ignore everything to the contrary”…but your mileage may varymileage may vary

Arguments Favoring Free WillArguments Favoring Free Will

• CompatibilistsCompatibilists argue that free acts can be taken as argue that free acts can be taken as long as their cause lies in the inner state of the long as their cause lies in the inner state of the person – a desire, an intention, etc. person – a desire, an intention, etc.

• Free will, in essence, lines up with UC nicely – Free will, in essence, lines up with UC nicely – because our inner choices/causes determine our because our inner choices/causes determine our willwill

• Finally, Finally, agentsagents argue that free acts are caused by argue that free acts are caused by agents (i.e., people)agents (i.e., people)

• UC exists, in that every event has a cause – but UC exists, in that every event has a cause – but not every cause is an event itselfnot every cause is an event itself

• Some things have very short causal histories – Some things have very short causal histories – not every event has a seemingly infinite number not every event has a seemingly infinite number of causes linking to itof causes linking to it

Argh!!! Does It Exist? Argh!!! Does It Exist? Just Tell Me! Please?Just Tell Me! Please?

• No. No. • (I can’t tell you. What makes you think I (I can’t tell you. What makes you think I

know?)know?)• But the Choice vs. Destiny discussion is But the Choice vs. Destiny discussion is

worth having, and not just because it worth having, and not just because it doesn’t have a pre-determined (pre-doesn’t have a pre-determined (pre-destined???) conclusiondestined???) conclusion

• These questions force us to evaluate just These questions force us to evaluate just how we wish to go through life – not how we wish to go through life – not simply whether we can decide what we simply whether we can decide what we do, but whether we live while doing sodo, but whether we live while doing so

• After all…is it possible to be passively After all…is it possible to be passively happy?happy?