Richard & MD
Richard wrote:
>So either we have freewill, or we have the illusion of freewill.... So I
>ask, even if we "just" have the illusion of freewill, what difference does
>it make? We still think we're choosing what to do. Somebody even suggested
>that morality isn't possible in world without freewill. But even if
>freewill is an illusion we still think we're making choices that are moral
>or immoral (so there's no real threat to morality and moral thinking that I
>can see). And besides... if there is only "an illusion of freewill", and no
>"actual freewill" then why not just call the illusion itself "freewill"???
>The consequences to us and our "choices" are the same either way. Right????
Suppose instead of seeing free will as "an illusion" we see it in the
context of the MOQ.
There is no self in the way we are used to thinking of the self, ie a kind
of consciousness sitting behind our eyes controlling and making decisions
for us. But the MOQ does not deny the subject altogether, it just relegates
it to an intellectual pattern. You could call it an illusion but that
wouldn't really be accurate. It would be better to see it as just one
pattern amongst many. Within the intellectual level we see things
rationally, causally and in terms of subjects and objects. Within the
intellectual level we have free will. It's real and it's a truth, but we
have to remember that the intellectual level is just one level of reality.
I think that is what Henri Poincare meant when he wrote:
"Modern man has used cause-and-effect as ancient man used the gods; to give
order to the universe. This is not because it was the truest system, but
because it was the most convenient. "
The MOQ acknowledges a reality that is greater than the intellectual level.
In a metaphysics where the primary split is dynamic and static we can use
the intellectual level when it's good to do so, but we do not confuse it
with truth. The MOQ does not throw away the intellectual level. It's keeps
what is good about it and uses it when appropriate. The biggest problem
with the intellectual level is that it thinks that rationality is the
_only_ way to discover truth. All we have to do is realise that although
rationality is a good way to discover truth, it isn't the only way. We do
not have to throw away personal responsibility. If we think that is a good
intellectual pattern we can keep it.
Diana
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@wasted.demon.nl
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:00:38 BST