I’ve been going through the sequences, and this is probably the post I disagree with most.
Philosophy may lead you to reject the concept, but rejecting a concept is not the same as understanding the cognitive algorithms behind it.
More importantly, rejecting a concept doesn’t solve the problem the concept is used for. The question to ask isn’t what the precise definition of free will is, or whether the concept is coherent. Ask instead “What problems am I trying to solve with this concept?”
Because we do use the concept to solve problems. People take actions, and those actions have effects on us. When do I retaliate against a harmful action, and when do I reward a beneficial action? How do I update my evaluation of the actor, in terms of the likelihood that they will repeat this kind of beneficial or harmful behavior?
It’s nonsense to say that free will doesn’t exist—because the problem the concept is used to solve does exist, and if you say free will doesn’t exist, you’ll still end up creating a concept just like it to solve this problem. And for the most part, people are already effectively using the concept to reward and punish appropriately. They are effectively solving a problem. By and large, they use the concept of free will to both accurately predict future behavior (epsitemic rationality) and effectively take action (instrumental rationality). Isn’t that what rationality is all about?
Now both sides haven’t effectively made that concept coherent with their knowledge of physics, one side thinking the concept is nonsense, and the other side thinking they’re not bound by the laws of physics. Both sides are making a mistake. The concept isn’t nonsense, because it solves real problems, and we are bound by the laws of physics.
See compatibilism for details. Problem solved. A Rationalist solves problems.
I’ve been going through the sequences, and this is probably the post I disagree with most.
More importantly, rejecting a concept doesn’t solve the problem the concept is used for. The question to ask isn’t what the precise definition of free will is, or whether the concept is coherent. Ask instead “What problems am I trying to solve with this concept?”
Because we do use the concept to solve problems. People take actions, and those actions have effects on us. When do I retaliate against a harmful action, and when do I reward a beneficial action? How do I update my evaluation of the actor, in terms of the likelihood that they will repeat this kind of beneficial or harmful behavior?
It’s nonsense to say that free will doesn’t exist—because the problem the concept is used to solve does exist, and if you say free will doesn’t exist, you’ll still end up creating a concept just like it to solve this problem. And for the most part, people are already effectively using the concept to reward and punish appropriately. They are effectively solving a problem. By and large, they use the concept of free will to both accurately predict future behavior (epsitemic rationality) and effectively take action (instrumental rationality). Isn’t that what rationality is all about?
Now both sides haven’t effectively made that concept coherent with their knowledge of physics, one side thinking the concept is nonsense, and the other side thinking they’re not bound by the laws of physics. Both sides are making a mistake. The concept isn’t nonsense, because it solves real problems, and we are bound by the laws of physics.
See compatibilism for details. Problem solved. A Rationalist solves problems.