Free Will (510 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 0.33 on 9 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <jimmiss.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2004-03-15 23:55:42 EST
So I have figured a way to figure out how to test if humans, or any sentient being actually has free will.
Suppose we live in a sufficiently advanced society that could create an exact simulation, right down to the spin of each electron and the position of quarks, of a area the size of a large 'complex'. Suppose we also had the ability to scan, at birth, the exact position and ALL DETAIL about a newborn baby. Everything right down the the quarks, again.
Suppose you 'scanned' a baby at birth and put them in an exact real world copy of 'the complex' currently running and loaded the information of the scanned baby into the simulation. You make sure to have some people in both the simulated complex, and the real complex in order to aid in development of the child.
If the simulation were exactly the same as the child, and we live in a mechanistic world, and we don't have free will in the greatest sense of the term: There is no choice, and a sufficiently large computer could predict every move you make right down to scratching your nose over the course of a year; if it was given suffient information.
But what if we ran it and that didn't happen, even if the system was PERFECT. Then what?
User Reviews
Submitted by jimmiss (user info) at 2004-03-16 22:51:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Sqautail is a retard. It's a theory, and it's not possible. That much is suppposed to be obvious.
Submitted by StrangeDos (user info) at 2004-03-16 12:59:15 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
First of all, you might want to brush up on your physics a bit before thinking about things like quarks, etc...as Matt said earlier, not only are many of those measured parameters going to be in a constant state of flux, you're talking about making predictions based upon evidence now...i.e., a form of quantum determinism. If you've ever heard of the Heisenberg uncertainly principle, then you will know that in essence, this is an impossible task, not because of a lack of ability, but because the physical laws of the universe won't allow it to happen. When trying to determine things about quantum particles (reeeaaallly small things, like quarks), there is only a probability that something can happen, it's not deterministic. So, the proposal wouldn't work anyway.
Submitted by fionavar (user info) at 2004-03-16 07:19:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Whoa, watching wayyy too much Matrix, dude.
Submitted by squattail (user info) at 2004-03-16 06:57:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"Suppose you 'scanned' a baby at birth and put them in an exact real world copy of 'the complex'."
You think someone is going to go out there, look over ever subatomic particle in the universe, and enter it all into some super computer? Are you 10 years old?
Submitted by squattail (user info) at 2004-03-16 06:55:41 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
You are a fucking idiot. Just another example of someone who writes a post about something they know nothing about, just hoping no one that reads it has enough sense and knowledge to point out they are full of shit. I am telling you: you are full of shit.
Submitted by Deisangua (user info) at 2004-03-16 06:36:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Impossible theory to test, but I agree with the possibilities inherent in the premise.
Wait, who the fuck speaks like that?
Translation: Duh. (Still +2)
Submitted by maiorano84 (user info) at 2004-03-16 00:32:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
What you're suggesting is impossible.
First of all, I'm really not sure what you're arguing, but that's just me. It's late, and I'm retarded.
Now, as for mapping a living being 'down to the quarks', as you say, that would be impossible. Even if a computer could theoretically store all of that information, the information itself would be constantly changing. Our body heat is not always constant, we constantly shed skin cells, we drop hair everywhere, we grow new hair, etc. Our bodies are in a constant state of change. As far as I can tell, it would be impossible to map constantly changing information, along with forseeing unpredictable physical changes. What if the person gets sick? Trips and breaks an arm or a leg? Gets hit by a car and is mentally handicapped for the rest of his/her life?
I think you have an interesting thought, but I'm too tired to argue the whole thing. If I'm way off, tell me, and I'll be sure to smack myself.
Submitted by arcane (user info) at 2004-03-16 00:25:05 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"But what if we ran it and that didn't happen, even if the system was PERFECT. Then what?"
Duct tape can fix anything.
If the system didnt work like it was supposed to then it needs fixing.
Conclusion.
Duct tape has the innate ability to take away free will.
Submitted by Fabish (user info) at 2004-03-16 00:06:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Free Hat. Free Hat. Free Hat.