Comments on: Dennett lecture on “free will”

By: Robin Faichney

Robin Faichney — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:22:14 +0000

PS Dennett would strongly dispute that “his position is still that FW is illusory.” (Or that it was ever.) For instance in his book Freedom Evolves (which I’m currently reading for a class) from page 224. Consciousness is in the same boat. I say it depends on the context, on exactly what you mean by “illusory” or “real”. But in broad terms, these days, apart from his omissions as noted in a recent post (and its comments), I have to say, I’m with Dennett.

By: Robin Faichney

Robin Faichney — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:47:51 +0000

Hi Richard, thanks for taking an interest! (And sorry for the delay in responding.)

I’m interested — though skeptical, to be honest — in what you say about feedback systems being free agents. As it happens, I’m doing a university course called “Self, Agency and the Will” at the moment, and I’ll be writing an essay fairly soon. Can you tell me more about your view on this?

By: Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:57:04 +0000

Robin

Thanks for alerting me to DD’s lecture. He certainly is a good speaker and he does most of it merely with words

While i agree that the predictability of an outcome says nothing about whether it was the consequence of a choice or not, his position is still that FW is illusory. I think this is mistaken and comes from a simplistic view of cause and effect. My view is that linear, billiard ball causality doesn’t apply to feedback systems which can be genuinely free agents (within their capacity, of course).

cheers

Richard