6. Science Guys vs. Life on Choice

A Cool Response to Life’s Enthusiasm

Life excited to find a dial she can turn.

“Simply amazing! The Author suggests that I, Life, employ the Living Algorithm's Decay Factor as a rheostat to control the intensity of Attention. I can turn this ‘dial’ from 1 to infinity and everywhere in-between. Each part of this continuum has a different function. When I want to pay closer Attention to specific elements of my environment, I turn the Decay Factor to a lower, more volatile setting. When I want to focus Attention upon the overall patterns of my general environment, I turn the Decay Factor up to a more sedentary setting. Fascinating! I am finally able to exert some type of control over one of the Living Algorithm's mathematical mechanisms. I have the choice whether to turn the Decay Factor ‘dial’ up or down.”

Life shares her excitement with the Science Guys.

Elated with the realization of this newfound power, Life took a stroll down to the neighborhood bar. Guess whom she ran into? The Science Guys. They were all there – Physics, Chemistry, Probability, Electronics, Genetics, Neurology and few hangers on. They were celebrating the presumed discovery of the ‘God particle’. Feeling great and bearing no grudges, she greeted them warmly.

After the normal pleasantries were exchanged, one of them asked, “So how is your relationship with the Living Algorithm going?” Life noted, but dismissed a slightly antagonistic, perhaps challenging, tone in his voice.

"Great!" she responded excitedly. Forgetting to whom she was speaking, she shared her recent triumph in understanding. She assumed that as friends they would amplify and encourage her enthusiasm. "Finally, a mechanism by which I can control my interaction with the environment. I can make the choice to turn the Living Algorithm's Decay Factor up or down."

Cool response from Science Guys reveals they are not friends, but rejected Suitors.

As Life finished her spiel, she immediately noted a dead silence combined with hostile body postures – arms closed about the chest with the head as far away from agreement as possible. It was clearly evident that she was in a hostile environment. Reviewing her past interactions, she instantly understood her misconception. She had mistaken rejected suitors for friends. They still wanted to dominate and control her with their variety of systems. They still wanted to deny her ability to make informed decisions. They still viewed her as an automaton, who would soon be under the sway of whichever system they belonged to. Preparing for the onslaught, Life gritted her teeth and placed her tongue backwards at the roof of her mouth, so as to avoid making as many stupid comments as possible.

The Science Guys raise objections to Life's Informed Choice.

Chin thrust forward in an aggressive fashion, Physics was the first to respond. "On the questionable assumption that the Living Algorithm is your processing system, how can you be so sure that you exert any conscious control over her Decay Factor?"

Neurology: "As far as we see it, Posner's Attention Model is an automatic biological process that is rooted in the interactions of neurons."

Electronics: "And we are on verge of breaking these neural interactions into their digital components. Artificial Intelligence is on the verge of transcending human intelligence. With the coming Singularity, we will even be able to download humans."

Probability: "Employing the tools that allowed me to precisely predict the behavior of the subatomic world, I will also, by utilizing the insights of my friends here, be able to predict your behavior precisely."

Genetics: "Besides, biological mechanisms, such as Posner's Attention Model, are determined by the unfolding of the DNA that is in the nucleus of every cell. What possible control could your mental emotional climate have over this automatic unfurling process?"

Physics: "It seems my dear friend, that you are suffering from an antiquated notion that has long since gone out of fashion among the educated. You are so obsessed with being able to exert some control over the physical universe that you ignore the evidence that is stacked against you."

Neurology: "Everyday we make new advances in how the brain operates. We are honing in on the essentially material processes of the neuron. And these processes have no room for choice."

Electronics: "Napoleon asked the famous French mathematician, La Place, what role God played in his planetary system. La Place responded that he had no need for that postulate. Similarly, with the great strides forward in computer processing combined with those of my esteemed colleagues, we have no need for the assumption of choice."

Probability: "Choice is just an illusion, a superstition from the past."

Genetics: "Give up your quest for autonomy. You are under our sway, whether you believe it or not."

Physics: "You are an exclusively material system that obeys the laws of the physical universe. How could it be otherwise? How is it possible that the Living Algorithm's world of information could affect the physical world? It just doesn't make logical sense."

Life’s Insight: Science Guys afraid of Uncertainty

To avoid being drawn from her center, Life focuses upon body structure.

From this outpouring, Life realized that there was a lot of pent-up frustration that was being released. To avoid getting drawn from her center, she focused her attention upon body structure – tucking in hip, stomach, and chin to allow the chi energy to flow up the spine to her brain. In the midst of this introspective process, she had an insight.

Life's Insight: "Fear of Uncertainty has driven Science Guys to Faith in Materialism."

"These guys are afraid of uncertainty. To deal with this fear, they shift to faith - the faith that their material systems will eventually be able to explain everything. The religious fundamentalists have faith in God and the Bible to explain away uncertainty, while the scientific fundamentalists have faith that Science will be able to explain away uncertainty. Whoa! I must exhibit compassion for their fearful state, not hostility. No need to challenge their faith based assumptions. Their insecurity about uncertainty has turned them into true believers in the exclusivity of materialism. But they are scientists. And as scientists they believe in empiricism. Don't fight reason with reason, else I am doomed. Must present them with unexplained evidence instead. First establish that we are on common ground."

Science Guys: "What is your defense?"

After they had dispelled their accumulated tensions, the Science Guys sat back on their haunches, somehow feeling that the collective weight of their logical discourse would sway Life to their side. There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence. "Well, what do you say? What defense can you present on your behalf? Or have you finally seen the light? Or do you still hold to your superstitious view point that you have the ability to choose, despite all reason and evidence to the contrary?"

Life asks for plausible Explanation for Cultural Evidence

Life appreciates all the evidence that Science has explained.

Life: "It's funny that you should mention evidence. Of course there is an abundance of evidence in support of your theories. Entire branches of science have created elaborate structures with foundations in logic and mathematics to describe the reasons behind this evidence. I appreciate and applaud your efforts. You are truly an amazing bunch. It seems that your detailed investigations combined with brilliant analysis have provided material explanations for all of the significant phenomenon in the universe – well almost everything.

Life is still curious about a few unexplained details.

"There are a few minor details that I'm still curious about. Perhaps you might dispel some of my superstitious misconceptions by providing some plausible explanations for these presumed anomalies. Subatomics, neurons, digital electronics, genes, probabilistic analysis, biochemical processes – I'm open to whatever you might provide. I'm ready to let go of my superstitious past and join your camp. I'm almost embarrassed that these trivial mysteries hold me in a state of primitive wonderment. Given that you guys are so close to a universal explanation, answering my questions should be simple.

Cultural Institutions designed to control Thoughts to influence Behavior

"For instance, it seems that in every culture in every time and place that there are social institutions in place designed to both influence the thoughts of my humans and/or assist them in exercising control over their thoughts. In both cases, the end result is to change or shape human behavior. One type of social system propagates appropriate belief structures. To ensure adherence to these thoughts, they frequently apply positive and negative reinforcement: on the one hand, ostracization, excommunication, torture, even execution; on the other, promotions, power, prosperity, and fame. These reinforcements are presumably employed to maximize group unity and minimize dissension.

Other Cultural Institutions designed to control Thought Processes

"Another type of institution provides methods that are designed to gain control of the thought process. The purpose of these techniques is to enable individuals to resist responding to the thoughts associated with cultural indoctrination. This type of group relies on both mental and physical practices, such as meditation, Tai Chi or Yoga to gain control of thought. While the first type of institution instructs the citizenry what ideas to think, the second type provides instructions that enable individual humans to control their thinking process.

Life wonders why so much cultural energy on controlling thoughts, if no effect on behavior.

"Further, these emergent cultural institutions that are designed to regulate the thinking process have consistent conflicts with each other. In fact, cultures with opposing belief structures regularly go to war to see whose belief structures will be propagated. In more refined situations, an election is held to determine whose system of thinking prevails. Of course, I am referring to the political, philosophical and religious systems that have been a significant part of human culture since the beginning of recorded history. My question is simple. Why have humans spent such an inordinate amount of cultural energy on controlling thoughts and the thought process, if the thinking process is mechanistic and has no influence on behavior?

Life wonders what the Scientific Explanation is for this widespread Phenomenon.

"I'm sure you must have a pat answer - some reasonable physical explanation for this widespread cultural phenomenon that dominates human existence. Your God particle, for instance. Or perhaps there are indications that there is some type of neural network that would lead us to form cultural institutions designed to regulate thought, even though our behavior is automatic. Or maybe there is some gene or self-organizing digital mechanism such as your Game of Life that leads us to form useless organizations that give humans the illusion that they can somehow control their thoughts to make better choices in their lives. My ancient superstitions cloud my thinking. Reason must provide some kind of plausible explanation for this dominant cultural form."

Science Guys justify their Mechanistic Explanation with Reason.

Science Guys: "Microscopic and macroscopic are mechanistic; therefore everything is mechanistic."

After a prolonged silence, the Science Guys began mumbling something about how the microscopic and macroscopic aspects of existence have a well-substantiated mechanistic material explanation. Therefore everything behaves mechanistically.

Life: "That is your explanation for an omnipresent cultural form that has been a dominant force in the social evolution of my humans?"

Science Guys: "It makes logical sense. We have a fairly complete understanding of the workings of neurons, genes, atoms, digital processing, biochemical interactions, and probabilistic functions that lie at the foundation of living systems. We also understand the workings of the planets, galaxies, and even the Big Bang at beginning of the Universe. These are all mechanistic processes that human thought has no control over.

Science Guys: "Thought a byproduct of biochemical processes."

"Because human thought has no control over these fundamental processes, we view thought as a byproduct of material interactions – a biochemical phenomenon. We have no need for the muddy postulate of Choice. Empirically speaking, thought doesn't exist. However, our perception of these material byproducts gives us the illusion that we are somewhat in control, that we have the ability to make choices. Thoughts are like clouds - seeming so substantial, yet with no real motive force of their own. In fact, they are buffeted by factors beyond their control.

Science Guys: "Notion of Free Will a Superstitious Residue of Animistic Past."

"Until relatively recently in our social evolution, humans believed that planets had a motive force. This animistic notion is the root of astrology. It was felt that the attractive force between them was due to their mutual love. With the discovery of the existence of the God Particle, we now have a relatively complete understanding of gravity (the attractive force between planets) and it has nothing to do with love. The planets might think they love each other, but material factors motivate them - not emotional. Similarly, we like to believe that we are in control, when we are actually buffeted around by mechanistic microscopic processes, just like clouds. Thought is a mere byproduct, which leads to the illusion of choice.

Science Guys: "How is it possible that immaterial thoughts influence material world?"

"How could it be otherwise? I mean, think about it reasonably. How could immaterial thoughts have an influence upon the material world? It just doesn't make sense. And anything that doesn't make sense is probably an illusion. Let go of your superstitious notion of choice and come to our side. The Living Algorithm is just telling you what you want to hear."

Life wonders how much the Microscopic & Macroscopic applies to the Inbetween.

Life: "Religion, Advertising and Electioneering are a waste of time and money?"

Life: "So this is your explanation for all the religious, political, and philosophical systems that have been designed to control thoughts and the processes of thinking? You explain away all the self-help books on the market as just feeding the illusion of choice? You say it doesn't make logical sense that immaterial thoughts could exert an effect upon our material world. How do you account for the fact that businesses have spent billions of dollars on advertising that is designed to influence how people think? And what about all the time and money spent on electioneering to persuade voters to change their minds and subsequently whom they vote for? Is this attempt to change our way of thinking a colossal waste of money due to the logical impossibility of thoughts having an impact upon human behavior?”

Science Guys: "Of course. It just doesn't make logical sense that thoughts can influence matter. There must be a material explanation just waiting to be uncovered."

Life: "I'm happy you have such Faith in your Reason."

Life: "What is the logical chain that leads to your conclusions? Let me see if I have this right. Your mastery of the mechanistic microscopic and macroscopic worlds leads you to reason that the in-between world is also mechanistic? Your faith in the combination of reason and fact must provide you with a tremendous amount of security. I imagine you can apply this form of reasoning to any form of evidence. We understand the microscopic and the macroscopic in terms of matter, therefore everything has a material explanation, which we will eventually uncover. This faith in your powers of reasoning must be a wonderful thing. I'm happy for you.

Life: "Living Algorithm provides a more plausible explanation."

"Me, I’m not happy unless I have an inkling into the in-between steps that link atoms, neurons, and digital processing with say the Catholic Church and the Inquisition. In fact, these microscopic processes seem to provide about as much insight and understanding into this widely recognized historical phenomenon as the Bible. I might be stupid, but the Living Algorithm System seems to provide a more plausible explanation for the eternal survival of these social forms that are designed to control thought.

Life is Uncertain about Faith in Reason.

"It might not make logical sense that the immaterial world of thoughts influences the material world of atoms, but it does seems to be the case. There is certainly an abundance of evidence from our in-between world to support this theory. It seems that reason is the only link between your microscopic building blocks and the mysteries of the middle world that I inhabit."

Science Guys: "Reason reigns supreme."

Life: "Well gentlemen, it's been fun. I'm happy for you. I'm happy that you can feel so smug about your reasoning abilities. Faith is a wonderful thing. Me, I'm still a little uncertain about many things, including your faith in human reason. Enough said. Later."

To herself: “I can’t to share this interaction with Cell. I wonder what she will say?”

To find out, check out – The Art of Choice.

 

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