[davemp]

> If the universe is deterministic, then we are just a bunch of atoms reacting predictably to external forces, making us not very different from rocks.

No. This is very disingenuous. We are a beautifully ordered, continuously changing, unlikely set of atoms with history and the ability to affect / finely order huge amounts of other atoms. We're much better and more interesting than rocks! :)

(No offense to anyone who really likes rocks--they're cool too).

[bad_user]

I'm not talking about what's interesting or not in the universe.

I'm saying that compatibilism basically says that rocks too have free will. Which makes the term meaningless.

I mean, if you think about it, rocks too can suffer grinding due to their environment, having their shape, size or texture changed, which will affect what "choices" they'll make in the future and all rocks are unique in the universe due to their shape, composition and location.

So in regards to a "free will" discussion, the only difference between us and rocks is what? That we are living organisms and thus can move around? So is an amoeba.

[coldtea]

>So in regards to a "free will" discussion, the only difference between us and rocks is what? That we are living organisms and thus can move around? So is an amoeba.

No, it's that we perceive our time-line-uniqueness as will (consciously) whereas rocks don't.

[davemp]

It's very frustrating to have discussions with deconstructionists. Rocks do not have cognition.

[bad_user]

I'm just messing with you :-P