Sam Harris

The “two stage model of free will” furnishes us with an intelligible explanation how an agent “could have chosen to do otherwise given the same situation or circumstances.” It does this by employing both deterministic and indeterministic aspects.

A two-stage model of free will separates the free stage from the will stage.

In the first stage, alternative possibilities for thought and action are generated, in part indeterministically.
In the second stage, an adequately determined will evaluates the options that have been developed.

If, on deliberation, one option for action seems best, it is selected and chosen. If no option seems good enough, and time permitting, the process can return to the further generation of alternative possibilities (“second thoughts”) before a final decision.

(source: Wikipedia: Two-stage model of free will)

This model parallels the way evolution operates - namely, random variation (the indeterministic aspect) and natural selection (the deterministic aspect l).

Paisley - 06 July 2012 07:26 PM

The “two stage model of free will” furnishes us with an intelligible explanation how an agent “could have chosen to do otherwise given the same situation or circumstances.” It does this by employing both deterministic and indeterministic aspects.

A two-stage model of free will separates the free stage from the will stage.

In the first stage, alternative possibilities for thought and action are generated, in part indeterministically.
In the second stage, an adequately determined will evaluates the options that have been developed.

If, on deliberation, one option for action seems best, it is selected and chosen. If no option seems good enough, and time permitting, the process can return to the further generation of alternative possibilities (“second thoughts”) before a final decision.

(source: Wikipedia: Two-stage model of free will)

This model parallels the way evolution operates - namely, random variation (the indeterministic aspect) and natural selection (the deterministic aspect l).

When the brain of a sentient organism is confronted with several option, it will react based on its accumulated knowledge.
It may “change its mind” but that change would still be made in accordance with its preconceptions.
That does not prove the existence of a psychological entity that is doing the choosing.
It merely indicates a brain that is hard wired to sustain itself and its host organism.

toombaru - 06 July 2012 09:41 PM

When the brain of a sentient organism is confronted with several option, it will react based on its accumulated knowledge.
It may “change its mind” but that change would still be made in accordance with its preconceptions.
That does not prove the existence of a psychological entity that is doing the choosing.
It merely indicates a brain that is hard wired to sustain itself and its host organism.

Consciousness is axiomatic (self-evident). Any attempt to deny it presupposes it.

Paisley - 06 July 2012 11:51 PM

toombaru - 06 July 2012 09:41 PM

When the brain of a sentient organism is confronted with several option, it will react based on its accumulated knowledge.
It may “change its mind” but that change would still be made in accordance with its preconceptions.
That does not prove the existence of a psychological entity that is doing the choosing.
It merely indicates a brain that is hard wired to sustain itself and its host organism.

Consciousness is axiomatic (self-evident). Any attempt to deny it presupposes it.

“Consciousness” is merely the label that the conceptual mind gives to its machinations.
“Consciousness” is not a thing.
In order for consciousness to be aware of itself it would have to be divided into two things, as awarer and an awaree.
There is a linguistic problem that occurs when the mind mistakes its named objects for actual existential realities.