In article <399fqv$fle at dcsun4.us.oracle.com>, pbfriedm at us.oracle.com (Perry Friedman) writes:
>In <1994Nov2.205208.18532 at cabell.vcu.edu>, psy3brp at cabell.vcu.edu (Brian R. Pike) writes:
>>pbfriedm at us.oracle.com (Perry Friedman) writes:
>>>>>Can someone please give me a SCIENTIFIC (ie non-religious) explanation
>>>of free will.
>>>>>The concept that free will does not exist is disturbing and I don't want
>>>to get into it here, as this is not really the appropriate place. I am
>>>just hoping that someone can explain to me a reason why free will COULD or
>>>SHOULD exist (and please leave "God" and "souls" out of it... unless you
>>>can come up with a SCIENTIFIC explanation of either of those).
>>>>This is a question that has been debated for 100's of years. The
>>answer for science is that there can be no freewill. For science
>>assumes (must assume) that nature is governed by universal laws that
>>can be predicted and tested. The science of behavior, psychology,
>>also makes this assumption about behavior. That is, all behavior is
>>governed by natural and universal laws that, like the physical
>>sciences, can be discovered and tested, and behavior reliably
>>predicted and controlled. To profess belief in freewill is to
>>relinquish this prediction and control.
>brian,
i know you posted a while ago, but i wanted to let you know about Dr.
Mark Hallet at the NIMH in Bethesda, MD. i'm sorry that i dont' have his
address or phone number. Dr. Hallet lectured here last year on free will; he's
doing some very interesting neurological research on the basis of free will.
if you get in touch with him, i think he'll be able to provide you with some
great insight. he's a very amiable man, who, i'm sure, would be willing to talk
to you about his research. good luck.
let me know what you come up with; this topic interests me too.
adam brickman
