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From: martin@ism780.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Free [Will, Lunch, Software]
Message-ID: <344@ism780.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 4-Aug-84 00:08:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: ism780.344
Posted: Sat Aug  4 00:08:51 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Jul-84 01:13:39 EDT
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Nf-ID: #R:houca:-44800:ism780:20200015:000:1821
Nf-From: ism780!martin    Jul 27 13:29:00 1984


We always seem to describe time as being anchored in the past and proceeding
forward, through the present, into the future.  We draw a picture of time like
the one below.  Drawing it this way leads to the belief that events in the
past cause the state that is the present.

       Past                                         Present

	-------------------------------------------->

But think of time this way.  Each event now in our past was once in the
present.  It was in the present before it was in the past.  So the picture
should really be drawn this way.

       Past                                         Present

	<--------------------------------------------

Looking at time this way leads me to believe that I might be effecting the
past rather than the other way around (free will vs determinism?).  But what
about the principle of cause and effect?  It comes from thinking of time as
in the first picture.  If you think of time proceeding from present to past,
then what we used to call an effect precedes its cause.

I think the principle of cause and effect is nothing more than identity.  That
is, if A causes B, then A and B are the same.  Without the principle of cause
and effect there is no determinism.  In the picture below, I am standing on
the X, forever in the present being bombarded with possible futures. I choose
which future will become my past.

       Past                                         Present      Futures

							<------------
	<--------------------------------------------X  <------------
							<------------

"And that's where free will comes from, Charlie Brown."  Having so said, Linus
threw his blanky over his shoulder, planted his thumb firmly in his mouth, and
prepared to withstand the hurricane he knew was coming.

			      martin smith  INTERACTIVE Systems