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Paul Grobstein's picture

updating free will

Submitted by Paul Grobstein on Mon, 05/04/2009 - 9:24am.

Point well taken.  That exhibit needs some further updating, beyond ...

"free will" is not the ability to choose how one will see the arrows, but rather the ability to withhold action while waiting for intrinsic variability to generate some alternative bases for action.

people have "free will" precisely to the extent that they can "see" any given thing in a variety of different ways, and the ability/inclination to sometimes withhold action while allowing themselves first to experience those different ways of seeing things. The latter corresponds, I suppose, to what is sometimes called "self-discipline", and the former to some combination of experience and creativity.

Its not the choice that is "free."  What increases one's freedom is the ability to see things in alternate ways, including ones that surprise not only others but oneself as well (cf Hofstadter's Road Sign).  

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