iambiguous wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 6:20 pm
BigMike wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 5:46 pm
iambiguous wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 5:37 pm
On the other hand, in coming back to what we still don't fully grasp in regard to this...
All of this going back to how the matter we call the human brain was "somehow" able to acquire autonomy when non-living matter "somehow" became living matter "somehow" became conscious matter "somehow" became self-conscious matter.
Define conscious and self-conscious matter, please.
That's not the point, the determinists are compelled to say. The point is that until the "hard guys" in the scientific community are able to explain [one way or another] how lifeless matter evolved into living matter evolved into conscious matter evolved into self-conscious matter, then, in presuming determinism is true, any definitions we come up with are no less compelled by brains wholly in sync with the laws of matter.
If I may, I'd like to say a few words about that. It's not a personal attack because that problem (or confusion, as I'd call it) seems to be a problem for both libertarians, indeterminists, and compatibilists.
The question is what it means to be forced, compelled, or coerced to do something in the context of determinism. When we say "force," we usually mean something much more nuanced and subtle than when someone grabs your hands and shoves a gun into your hand while pushing your finger to pull the trigger.
Your brain can do simple comparisons, so it's easy for it to figure out what it thinks is the best thing to do, or what it thinks gives your body the most satisfaction. For example, if you can choose between getting $1 or$1,000,000, most people's brains would choose the $1,000,000 option because that would be the best option for most people.
Now, the brain has evolved from primitive life forms. Its only goal is to make sure people live and have kids. The "survival of the fittest" principle has made sure that it finds the best way to do things. We would have died out a long time ago if we didn't have that inner drive for excellence. It's in our genes, and as we live and learn, our brains are hardwired to do things that work better and better.
And here is the point: The optimal response to any situation is provided by our brains' logic. The best response isn't the best because we want it to be, but because our brains inform us it is. This is true even when we do something stupid; in those cases our brain simply didn't have the necessary experience or knowledge to give us better "advice". Our response is ultimately determined, forced upon us, not by physical force but by the force of logic.
Does this make the term "to be compelled to do something" seem better, more acceptable?