tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post8758237058889629114..comments2024-03-28T05:47:54.177+00:00Comments on Philosophical Disquisitions: List on Free Will and Determinism (Part Two)John Danaherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06761686258507859309noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post-13259128488867118882011-10-28T08:42:16.852+01:002011-10-28T08:42:16.852+01:00I agree with your criticism and am surprised that ...I agree with your criticism and am surprised that he did not predict it and address it. Our epistemic ignorance is profound, but not so powerful as to alter reality...Gatogreensleeveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04422843766695177998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post-82777189663121626872011-10-08T17:52:16.869+01:002011-10-08T17:52:16.869+01:00Well I'm glad you agree. I think ye've man...Well I'm glad you agree. I think ye've managed to put it more succinctly than me though. One thing I should say, is that it is <i>possible</i> to have non-historical theories of responsibility. Such theories have their own problems, but they're much less prone to the objections from determinism that are common in this literature.John Danaherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761686258507859309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post-57129082464177763052011-10-06T19:24:43.202+01:002011-10-06T19:24:43.202+01:00Yair makes a good point.
I would also worry abou...Yair makes a good point. <br /><br />I would also worry about the following: If different physical states lead to <i>different</i> actions (e.g. different choices), then it would seem that they are distinct agential states. If the different physical realizations of a particular agential state all result in the <i>same</i> actions, though, then it would seem that they all lead to the same future, i.e., the agent could not have done otherwise.Robert Oerterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708981993708509662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post-23268142132270584522011-10-06T00:57:59.115+01:002011-10-06T00:57:59.115+01:00I agree with your criticism.
Yes, given a particu...I agree with your criticism.<br /><br />Yes, given a particular "agential state" you have multiple possible futures "open" to you, but only in the sense that your physical state is not really fully determined by stating your agential state. But the agent is actually in a particular physical state, not just an agential state. So the agent only has one future "really" available to him; the other futures are futures available for other supposed-agents in his agential state, not to himself as he is in that state.<br /><br />Yairיאיר רזקhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15798134654972572485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780806945960886534.post-72196811231022889392011-10-02T18:17:24.786+01:002011-10-02T18:17:24.786+01:00Hmm I think (8) is a bit sloppy, and potentially c...Hmm I think (8) is a bit sloppy, and potentially confusing, anybody got a better formulation?John Danaherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761686258507859309noreply@blogger.com