Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Cognitive Dilbert-ness
The Dilbert Blog: Pleasure Unit Theory
The Dilbert Blog: Free Will
The Dilbert Blog: Free Will (part 2)
HotBits: Genuine Random Numbers
've been enjoying the latest "discussion" going on over at The Dilbert Blog. Scott Adams has one of those minds that can reduce a universe of bullshit to a singularity of clarity and never lose the smirk on his face.
I applaud his Pleasure Unit Theory:
He's managed to make me rethink my stance on free will which, prior to reading his little ditties and the subsequent avalanche of comments to his posts, I would have taken the favorable position. However, now I'm not so sure he'd be wrong and I'd be right.
Over-simply stated, up until now, I defined free will as our ability to captain our own ships. However, I am also a believer in cause and effect and what Mr. Adams posits is that to believe in free will and cause/effect is contradictory. As I pondered that, I had that eerie buzz of cognitive dissonance bigger brains than I can explain. Zzzzzzztttt. Brain freeze.
Go give him a read. It'll stir your brain cells for definite sure.
Parenthetically - the last link up there is one of the beauties of the internet and how artful a can lead to b can lead to c and so on. Dilbert to evolution to free will to cognitive dissonance to random number generators....
The Dilbert Blog: Free Will
The Dilbert Blog: Free Will (part 2)
HotBits: Genuine Random Numbers
've been enjoying the latest "discussion" going on over at The Dilbert Blog. Scott Adams has one of those minds that can reduce a universe of bullshit to a singularity of clarity and never lose the smirk on his face.
I applaud his Pleasure Unit Theory:
People organize their lives to get their minimum required units of pleasure. While individuals vary in terms of how many units of pleasure they need, everyone is striving to reach their personal minimum.
He's managed to make me rethink my stance on free will which, prior to reading his little ditties and the subsequent avalanche of comments to his posts, I would have taken the favorable position. However, now I'm not so sure he'd be wrong and I'd be right.
Over-simply stated, up until now, I defined free will as our ability to captain our own ships. However, I am also a believer in cause and effect and what Mr. Adams posits is that to believe in free will and cause/effect is contradictory. As I pondered that, I had that eerie buzz of cognitive dissonance bigger brains than I can explain. Zzzzzzztttt. Brain freeze.
Go give him a read. It'll stir your brain cells for definite sure.
Parenthetically - the last link up there is one of the beauties of the internet and how artful a can lead to b can lead to c and so on. Dilbert to evolution to free will to cognitive dissonance to random number generators....
Posted at 6:15 PM | |
