I don't have much time to write now, so I'll make this one quick. I'll get back to you later tonight.

You are saying that science can not predict the seemingly subjective actions of a conscious being. By these subjective actions I assume you mean free will.

Let's examine free will for a moment. If you could re-create the exact conditions of the universe at the big bang, the exact position, velocity, charge, of every atom in all creation (forget Heisenberg here, it's just hypothetical) would the universe turn out exactly the same as it is now? I would expect that it would, even to the degree of human actions.

Behind the seeming subjectivity of consciousness I find objectivity. If the urge to eat is greater than the urge to lose weight, you will eat. If you put your hand on a hot iron, one could trace the exact objective motion of impulses, the exact degree of the sensation your brain would experience, and the exact number of motor units your autonomic nervous system would stimulate to move your hand out of there. While the sensation of pain may be confined to the human experience, our actions on the outside world, I would argue, are quite predictable given enough information.

• I agree. . .but. . . - paulm - July 2, 2001 - 21:26 UTC
  • Maybe - stormcrow - July 3, 2001 - 02:08 UTC
    • Maybe we need help - paulm - July 3, 2001 - 05:04 UTC
      • Mistaken assumption - yanniru - July 3, 2001 - 14:01 UTC
        • Random events are purely mathematical. - alexander - July 3, 2001 - 17:36 UTC