Suppose determinism is true and we are like characters in a play in that there is only one possible plot. Does this diminish us as moral beings? Certainly we can still make moral judgments about the decisions people make in the same way we can morally judge characters in a play. But can we make the deeper kind of judgments that we routinely reserve for actual people who make actual choices? (We’ll call these “deep moral judgments”).
On a physicalist view of the world, human behavior and consciousness is the result solely of chemical and electrical processes in the brain. So a physicalist who makes a moral judgment about someone is at bottom making a judgment about the way that person’s brain functions on a physical level. If a physicalist thought Hitler was evil, it would really amount to a belief that the chemical and electrical functioning of Hitler’s brain was evil. That makes Hitler sound more like a natural disaster than evil.
The dualist doesn’t have this problem. The soul rather than the brain is really in charge, and there’s no problem with saying Hitler’s evil soul should be damned to hell. But then you have to posit the existence of souls.
Physicalists are often determinists, but the difficulty of making deep moral judgments from a physicalist position doesn’t turn on weirdness introduced by determinism. They are distinct positions. Consider the opposite pairings.
Dualist/determinist. Even if Hitler’s soul was “fated” to do what it did and couldn’t have done it differently, it is still the case he (or his soul) did these awful things with relish and that in itself is sufficient to make a deep moral judgment against him (and earn him a well-deserved place in hell). So determinism doesn't present a problem for morally judging hitler.
Physicalist/nondeterminist. Even if Hitler’s brain really wasn’t locked into its processes by determinism, his actions were still the result of brain processes. To be sure, these are to be regretted as a natural disaster is regretted. But it loses traction when we try to make it into a deep moral judgment. So absense of determinism doesn't make the physicalist's moral judgment less clinical.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
determinism and free will
There is the objection that determinism means that people don’t actually choose what they do, and hence one can’t make deep moral judgments about them or oneself. It’s as if someone took my arm and hit you with it. It’s not my doing, so I don’t deserve the blame (or praise). In a deterministic universe, the subject is almost a passive observer.
One response is that moral judgments aren’t just about actions, they are about character, motives, and good will. If one has a good heart, one deserves praise even if one was born with it or developed it through experience in a determined universe.
Second, I think it is enough when making a deep moral judgment that one could say that another person would have been less good or less bad. True, the act itself had to happen given all that came before, but that is because the actor is the kind of person the actor is. If Jane “must” do good works instead of sit around and drink beer, that says something morally praiseworthy about the kind person Jane is.
Third, I don’t think there’s the tension between free will and determinism as is sometimes made out by advocates of free will. Whether one is in a determined universe or a non-determined universe, one’s will is going to depend on the kind of person one is and the circumstances one is in. Only schizophrenics have real choices in such matters.
Fourth, absence of free will usually means that someone else's will is substituted for our own. In a religious context, it would be God (though he famously declined). But in a determined universe, no one else is in charge of us. We are who we are, and make the decisions we do, because of genetics, environment, experience, etc. That is, exactly the same as in the kind of universe we think we live in.
One response is that moral judgments aren’t just about actions, they are about character, motives, and good will. If one has a good heart, one deserves praise even if one was born with it or developed it through experience in a determined universe.
Second, I think it is enough when making a deep moral judgment that one could say that another person would have been less good or less bad. True, the act itself had to happen given all that came before, but that is because the actor is the kind of person the actor is. If Jane “must” do good works instead of sit around and drink beer, that says something morally praiseworthy about the kind person Jane is.
Third, I don’t think there’s the tension between free will and determinism as is sometimes made out by advocates of free will. Whether one is in a determined universe or a non-determined universe, one’s will is going to depend on the kind of person one is and the circumstances one is in. Only schizophrenics have real choices in such matters.
Fourth, absence of free will usually means that someone else's will is substituted for our own. In a religious context, it would be God (though he famously declined). But in a determined universe, no one else is in charge of us. We are who we are, and make the decisions we do, because of genetics, environment, experience, etc. That is, exactly the same as in the kind of universe we think we live in.
Multiple “nows”
Suppose determinism is false, perhaps because there is room for chance in the physical world (at least at the sub-atomic level as according to quantum theory), or because spirits that operate outside the physical world can affect it. If so, the “now” has two functions. First, it is the subjective sense of current experience each of us has. Second, it is the point in time at which a multitude of logically possible events with varying degrees of probability are turned into a single set of actual events. For example, if “now” is occurring prior to your roll of a dice, there are six possible outcomes, but if “now” is occurring when or after the dice comes to rest there is one actual outcome.
On this view, “now” plays a crucial roll in converting multiple possibilities to a singular actuality. It is where things happen and the story is cemented in place. It is where other possibilities disappear. Multiple “nows” would be problematic since it would require the events between nows to be both cemented in place and wide-open with possibilities. If events are cemented for later nows, then the view from earlier nows that possibilities are wide open (or even a bit open) is merely an illusion. So if determinism is false, there must be a single universal now.
Suppose instead determinism is true. The “now” still has its subjective function for each of us, but it no longer has the function of turning multiple possibilities into a single actuality. The future has only one set of logically possible events.
On this view, the prospect of multiple “nows” isn’t so problematic because “now” is only tied to subjective experience and doesn’t play the larger roll of cementing multiple possibilities into singular actualities. They are all cemented that way, from the time of the big bang to the end of the universe. “Now” simply becomes one of many possible points in the universe, sort of like a scene we are watching in a long play – it’s where we are experiencing the play, but none of the content of the play hinges on the fact that we are at this scene instead of another scene.
On this view, “now” plays a crucial roll in converting multiple possibilities to a singular actuality. It is where things happen and the story is cemented in place. It is where other possibilities disappear. Multiple “nows” would be problematic since it would require the events between nows to be both cemented in place and wide-open with possibilities. If events are cemented for later nows, then the view from earlier nows that possibilities are wide open (or even a bit open) is merely an illusion. So if determinism is false, there must be a single universal now.
Suppose instead determinism is true. The “now” still has its subjective function for each of us, but it no longer has the function of turning multiple possibilities into a single actuality. The future has only one set of logically possible events.
On this view, the prospect of multiple “nows” isn’t so problematic because “now” is only tied to subjective experience and doesn’t play the larger roll of cementing multiple possibilities into singular actualities. They are all cemented that way, from the time of the big bang to the end of the universe. “Now” simply becomes one of many possible points in the universe, sort of like a scene we are watching in a long play – it’s where we are experiencing the play, but none of the content of the play hinges on the fact that we are at this scene instead of another scene.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
how to replace rear window regulator in '94 Lincoln town car
If the window doesn’t go up or down, but the motor makes noise when switched on, the problem is probably the motor or regulator rather than an electrical connection. First, check the motor, then if necessary replace the regulator.
A rebuilt motor for a town car is less than $50, and you might be able to save the old motor with $10 worth of nylon parts (see http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00198.html). Items you will need to address the motor include: a tool to pry off the interior door panel (less than $10 at the auto parts store); a box of 100 drill bits from the hardware store ($12), and a screw driver that will take the bits (screw driver bits normally have a dimple, but these bits don’t so you need to get a screw driver that will take a drill bit); and a nylon parts kit (Dorman sells these) if you decide to go that route rather than replace the motor.
1. Remove interior door panel. First, carefully pry off the plastic door pull caps, then remove the screw on each side of the door pull. Next, remove the door latch cover screw and cover. Then remove the screw on each side of the door panel near the top. Now you can pry off the door panel with the special pry tool. You will have to disconnect the wiring. Twist off the courtesy light socket from its housing; disconnect the window switch from the control panel (two screws); and disconnect the cigarette lighter.
2. Peel back the flexible weather shield from the bottom to reveal access hole in the lower-middle of the door. The cover might be anchored by plastic fasteners, which come out easily with the pry tool. The edges of the plastic cover may be lightly glued. Tape the cover up out of the way.
3. Disconnect the motor from the door. The motor snugs up to the plastic regulator gear casing, both of which are anchored to a mounting panel by three screws. This panel is anchored on the other side of the inner part of the door with three rivets. All you can see at this point are the three rivets (unless you put a mirror in the door cavity). One approach is to knock out the rivets, and take out the panel (see http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00056.html). Another approach is to drill holes through the door panel to access the screws (see http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00198.html).
The three screws holding the motor and cable box are funny. They appear to take a #4 “Robertson” bit (square), but I eventually stripped the heads using that bit. At that point, however, I found that a star bit fit perfectly. The screws are available only from a Ford dealer at $6 a piece.
Once the three screws are removed from the motor/cable box, you can separate the them with a flat screw driver and a spray of wd-40. If the motor makes sounds and the gear box looks okay, you might be able to just refurbish the motor by replacing the nylon parts that are in it and call it a day (see above).
4. Replace regulator. If replacing or refurbishing the motor doesn’t do the trick, or the regulator is obviously defective (for example, the cables are all pulled apart), then you will need to replace the regulator. You will need: a regulator (I got one for $28 online); a cheap riveter ($10) and some rivets; an extended length ¼ inch (I think) ratchet to reach recessed nuts on the regulator; some ½ inch long # 20 hex bolts and lock nuts; some plastic fasteners for the interior door panel; a #904 bulb (from auto parts store); spray Teflon lubricant (Ace carries it); and a new ¼ inch drill bit that can go through metal.
5. Working with pop rivets. Although you can replace many rivets with bolts in this project, it’s not possible to re-attach the door handle bracket without rivets. Pop rivets are easy to master. Most of the holes are ¼ inch in this project, which is an industrial size. Riveters sold for normal people top out at 3/16”, but that’s okay. Large 3/16 rivets will do the trick. A pop rivet has a plug at one end and a stem at the other. Put the stem in the tool, and push the plug into the hole. Hold the tool tight against the surface, and squeeze. The plug will be in, but loose. Squeeze again, and the plug will be tight. Squeeze again and the stem will pop off.
To remove a rivet, use a fresh ¼ inch drill bit suitable for metal. Point the business end against the center of the rivet head, and drill until the head comes off on your drill bit. Then take a punch and a hammer, and hit the center of the rivet until it pops out. You should run the drill bit through the hole to get out all the pieces. It’s a quick, if noisy process.
6. Remove the door handle bracket. This is held by four rivets. The bottom holes are ¼, and the top ones are smaller (maybe 1/8”). You can treat the top holes as ¼” for these purposes if you run the drill bit through both the hole in the handle and the corresponding hole in the door to increase the size. Alternatively, you can simply use a smaller drill bit for those top holes, and a smaller replacement rivet.
7. Completely remove the flexible weather shield by removing any plastic fasteners, and peeling it back carefully. Also, remove the door latch, which is held into place by two screws. Pry up the bottom inside weather strip with your pry tool.
8. Remove the window (the hardest part). First, loosen but do not remove the bolt near the bottom of the door that’s off to the side. That’s the track adjuster and it needs to be loose to allow the window to fall out of the track. Second, there’s a metal bracket on the bottom of the window fastened to the regulator by two rivets. Position the window so that all of this is in view (you may need to cut the old regulator cable). Put a towel in the door in case the glass falls. Third, punch out the two rivets (remember, mechanics do this everyday without breaking the glass, so keep your nerve). Fourth, wiggle the window out of its track (gravity helps). Then push/pull the glass up, and try to tilt or pivot it to the side (it won’t come out straight up). It’ll come out cock-eyed, and towards the interior. Fifth, take the window and show your wife. She'll be so proud of you.
9. Replace the regulator. It’s all downhill now. Remove the two recessed top nuts holding the old regulator, and punch out the lower rivets. Pull the regulator out, and compare it to the new one to see if they sent the right regulator (the holes for the window fastenings should line up). With the door cavity as empty as it’s going to be, generously spray your Teflon lubricant deep into the tracks. Then clean out the bottom of the door (you don’t want loose metal rattling around in there). Then, put in the new regulator, and tighten the top bolts finger tight. Now you can either bolt the bottom to the door, or rivet it. This is a good place to try your first rivet.
10. Insert the window, attach, and adjust. With gravity as your friend, lower the window into the door and snug it as best you can into its track. Use ½ inch long, #20 hex bolts and lock nuts to attach the window to the regulator. Raise the window to the top, and tighten the top nuts (don’t over do it or the bolt will pop out, in which case you can insert a short bolt in its place). Then lower the window all the way and tighten the track bolt. Lubricate the rest of the window track. Slide the window up and down. Ideally it should move pretty smoothly, but if it binds a bit near the top and bottom that’s okay as long as you were careful to tighten the top nuts with the window up, and the track bolt with the window down.
11. Put the motor back in place. Spray the gear box and motor spindle with wd-40 if you haven't already. Match up the motor with the gear box, and insert the spindle into the box. Then replace the motor, retracing whatever steps you took in removing it. Connect the motor to the power, and test. Note that if you negligently didn’t bother disconnecting the battery, there will not be enough juice to operate the motor at this point, even if the interior lights are still on. Jump start your car, and test.
12. Re-install the weather shield, and rivet the handle bracket back into place. You can do bolts on the bottom two holes, but you can only do rivets at the top. Re-install the weather strip (gentle prodding with a rubber mallet helps).
13. Replace missing plastic fasteners on inside of interior door panel. I bought some at the hardware store, and then trimmed the heads to size with a wire cutters so they’d fit into the handy receptacles in the door panel.
14. Re-attach electric cables to the door panel. Replace the courtesy light bulb while you’re there (simply pull out old bulb and insert the new, which for some reason is a bit larger). Screw the switch back into place, and reconnect the lighter.
15. Mount the interior panel onto door. Hook over the door lock spindle, line up the plastic fasteners, and bump the panel into place with a rubber mallet. Replace screws, door pull caps, and door latch cover.
16. Suggested maintenance. Lubrication with Teflon spray makes a huge difference, so spray exposed window tracks regularly, especially near the top. If you get ambitious, remove the interior door panel, peel back the weather shield, and spray the window track in the door. While you’re there, replace the bulb for the courtesy light. For the very ambitious, you can service the motor by replacing the nylon bits, and lube the regulator gear box while you’re there.
17. A word about motor removal methods. I used the hole-in-the-door method rather than the remove-the-rivets-and-pull-out-the mounting-panel method. It's ugly, and takes a while, but once you're done with the holes, it does make removal easy. Next time though, i think i'll remove the rivets and take out the mounting panel.
A rebuilt motor for a town car is less than $50, and you might be able to save the old motor with $10 worth of nylon parts (see http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00198.html). Items you will need to address the motor include: a tool to pry off the interior door panel (less than $10 at the auto parts store); a box of 100 drill bits from the hardware store ($12), and a screw driver that will take the bits (screw driver bits normally have a dimple, but these bits don’t so you need to get a screw driver that will take a drill bit); and a nylon parts kit (Dorman sells these) if you decide to go that route rather than replace the motor.
1. Remove interior door panel. First, carefully pry off the plastic door pull caps, then remove the screw on each side of the door pull. Next, remove the door latch cover screw and cover. Then remove the screw on each side of the door panel near the top. Now you can pry off the door panel with the special pry tool. You will have to disconnect the wiring. Twist off the courtesy light socket from its housing; disconnect the window switch from the control panel (two screws); and disconnect the cigarette lighter.
2. Peel back the flexible weather shield from the bottom to reveal access hole in the lower-middle of the door. The cover might be anchored by plastic fasteners, which come out easily with the pry tool. The edges of the plastic cover may be lightly glued. Tape the cover up out of the way.
3. Disconnect the motor from the door. The motor snugs up to the plastic regulator gear casing, both of which are anchored to a mounting panel by three screws. This panel is anchored on the other side of the inner part of the door with three rivets. All you can see at this point are the three rivets (unless you put a mirror in the door cavity). One approach is to knock out the rivets, and take out the panel (see http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00056.html). Another approach is to drill holes through the door panel to access the screws (see http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00198.html).
The three screws holding the motor and cable box are funny. They appear to take a #4 “Robertson” bit (square), but I eventually stripped the heads using that bit. At that point, however, I found that a star bit fit perfectly. The screws are available only from a Ford dealer at $6 a piece.
Once the three screws are removed from the motor/cable box, you can separate the them with a flat screw driver and a spray of wd-40. If the motor makes sounds and the gear box looks okay, you might be able to just refurbish the motor by replacing the nylon parts that are in it and call it a day (see above).
4. Replace regulator. If replacing or refurbishing the motor doesn’t do the trick, or the regulator is obviously defective (for example, the cables are all pulled apart), then you will need to replace the regulator. You will need: a regulator (I got one for $28 online); a cheap riveter ($10) and some rivets; an extended length ¼ inch (I think) ratchet to reach recessed nuts on the regulator; some ½ inch long # 20 hex bolts and lock nuts; some plastic fasteners for the interior door panel; a #904 bulb (from auto parts store); spray Teflon lubricant (Ace carries it); and a new ¼ inch drill bit that can go through metal.
5. Working with pop rivets. Although you can replace many rivets with bolts in this project, it’s not possible to re-attach the door handle bracket without rivets. Pop rivets are easy to master. Most of the holes are ¼ inch in this project, which is an industrial size. Riveters sold for normal people top out at 3/16”, but that’s okay. Large 3/16 rivets will do the trick. A pop rivet has a plug at one end and a stem at the other. Put the stem in the tool, and push the plug into the hole. Hold the tool tight against the surface, and squeeze. The plug will be in, but loose. Squeeze again, and the plug will be tight. Squeeze again and the stem will pop off.
To remove a rivet, use a fresh ¼ inch drill bit suitable for metal. Point the business end against the center of the rivet head, and drill until the head comes off on your drill bit. Then take a punch and a hammer, and hit the center of the rivet until it pops out. You should run the drill bit through the hole to get out all the pieces. It’s a quick, if noisy process.
6. Remove the door handle bracket. This is held by four rivets. The bottom holes are ¼, and the top ones are smaller (maybe 1/8”). You can treat the top holes as ¼” for these purposes if you run the drill bit through both the hole in the handle and the corresponding hole in the door to increase the size. Alternatively, you can simply use a smaller drill bit for those top holes, and a smaller replacement rivet.
7. Completely remove the flexible weather shield by removing any plastic fasteners, and peeling it back carefully. Also, remove the door latch, which is held into place by two screws. Pry up the bottom inside weather strip with your pry tool.
8. Remove the window (the hardest part). First, loosen but do not remove the bolt near the bottom of the door that’s off to the side. That’s the track adjuster and it needs to be loose to allow the window to fall out of the track. Second, there’s a metal bracket on the bottom of the window fastened to the regulator by two rivets. Position the window so that all of this is in view (you may need to cut the old regulator cable). Put a towel in the door in case the glass falls. Third, punch out the two rivets (remember, mechanics do this everyday without breaking the glass, so keep your nerve). Fourth, wiggle the window out of its track (gravity helps). Then push/pull the glass up, and try to tilt or pivot it to the side (it won’t come out straight up). It’ll come out cock-eyed, and towards the interior. Fifth, take the window and show your wife. She'll be so proud of you.
9. Replace the regulator. It’s all downhill now. Remove the two recessed top nuts holding the old regulator, and punch out the lower rivets. Pull the regulator out, and compare it to the new one to see if they sent the right regulator (the holes for the window fastenings should line up). With the door cavity as empty as it’s going to be, generously spray your Teflon lubricant deep into the tracks. Then clean out the bottom of the door (you don’t want loose metal rattling around in there). Then, put in the new regulator, and tighten the top bolts finger tight. Now you can either bolt the bottom to the door, or rivet it. This is a good place to try your first rivet.
10. Insert the window, attach, and adjust. With gravity as your friend, lower the window into the door and snug it as best you can into its track. Use ½ inch long, #20 hex bolts and lock nuts to attach the window to the regulator. Raise the window to the top, and tighten the top nuts (don’t over do it or the bolt will pop out, in which case you can insert a short bolt in its place). Then lower the window all the way and tighten the track bolt. Lubricate the rest of the window track. Slide the window up and down. Ideally it should move pretty smoothly, but if it binds a bit near the top and bottom that’s okay as long as you were careful to tighten the top nuts with the window up, and the track bolt with the window down.
11. Put the motor back in place. Spray the gear box and motor spindle with wd-40 if you haven't already. Match up the motor with the gear box, and insert the spindle into the box. Then replace the motor, retracing whatever steps you took in removing it. Connect the motor to the power, and test. Note that if you negligently didn’t bother disconnecting the battery, there will not be enough juice to operate the motor at this point, even if the interior lights are still on. Jump start your car, and test.
12. Re-install the weather shield, and rivet the handle bracket back into place. You can do bolts on the bottom two holes, but you can only do rivets at the top. Re-install the weather strip (gentle prodding with a rubber mallet helps).
13. Replace missing plastic fasteners on inside of interior door panel. I bought some at the hardware store, and then trimmed the heads to size with a wire cutters so they’d fit into the handy receptacles in the door panel.
14. Re-attach electric cables to the door panel. Replace the courtesy light bulb while you’re there (simply pull out old bulb and insert the new, which for some reason is a bit larger). Screw the switch back into place, and reconnect the lighter.
15. Mount the interior panel onto door. Hook over the door lock spindle, line up the plastic fasteners, and bump the panel into place with a rubber mallet. Replace screws, door pull caps, and door latch cover.
16. Suggested maintenance. Lubrication with Teflon spray makes a huge difference, so spray exposed window tracks regularly, especially near the top. If you get ambitious, remove the interior door panel, peel back the weather shield, and spray the window track in the door. While you’re there, replace the bulb for the courtesy light. For the very ambitious, you can service the motor by replacing the nylon bits, and lube the regulator gear box while you’re there.
17. A word about motor removal methods. I used the hole-in-the-door method rather than the remove-the-rivets-and-pull-out-the mounting-panel method. It's ugly, and takes a while, but once you're done with the holes, it does make removal easy. Next time though, i think i'll remove the rivets and take out the mounting panel.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
cars i'm destined to own
There are some who say the world is determined, in which case the future is as fixed as the past. According to some, time is another dimension in the cosmos (in addition to the three spatial dimensions).
Physicists say you can picture this model of the cosmos by imagining the cosmos as a loaf of bread, with each slice being a bit of time in addition to the three dimensional things that occur during that slice.
We live inside a slice, which we experience as now. We are continually moving forward through adjacent slices, all the while experiencing the movement as the flow of time. From our perspective within a particular slice, the slices behind us are remembered as the past, and the slices in front of us are full of open possibilities.
From outside the loaf, however, each slice appears to be just another location in cosmos. Slices at one end or the other, or in the middle, are all equally real and equally fixed – they do not depend on anyone’s experience to bring them into reality.
If you could look at yourself from outside the loaf, you would see yourself as moving through a “worm hole” through the loaf. At one end of the hole you were born, at the other end you die, and in between you take up space in the loaf and do things.
Our experience of now is like a phonograph needle on a record. The recording is fixed, but the needle is where the action is. But it is possible to replay the record, but so far as we know, not the cosmos. So it’s not exactly the same. But it is a nice physical image.
Another difference between a recording and the cosmos is someone created the recording and did so with definite purposes. Absent a creator God, that’s not the case for us. Our lives are more like the trajectory of a bit that gets hurled after an explosion. The trajectory is fixed, but no one actually planned it.
Our worm hole is fixed, so there is a date, time, and means of death that already exist, albeit in a different part of the cosmos than the one we currently occupy. Same is true of every other fact about our future.
Even if determinism is true, is it really the case that our future is just as real as the present or the past even though it hasn’t happened yet? Our intuition is that the passage of time converts possibilities to fixed events, and that fixed events are real in a way that the future (which is viewed as a range of possibilities) is not.
If by real, one means that the item currently has spatial coordinates in three dimensional cosmos, it would seem that the future is not real. (On this view, though, the past isn’t real either, though we tend to think that the past as fixed in a way the future isn’t.)
If by real, one means it has coordinates in the 4 dimensional space/time cosmos (where time is not defined by our now, but rather is simply another coordinate in the cosmos), then the answer is yes it is just as real as items that our now or our past.
Physicists say you can picture this model of the cosmos by imagining the cosmos as a loaf of bread, with each slice being a bit of time in addition to the three dimensional things that occur during that slice.
We live inside a slice, which we experience as now. We are continually moving forward through adjacent slices, all the while experiencing the movement as the flow of time. From our perspective within a particular slice, the slices behind us are remembered as the past, and the slices in front of us are full of open possibilities.
From outside the loaf, however, each slice appears to be just another location in cosmos. Slices at one end or the other, or in the middle, are all equally real and equally fixed – they do not depend on anyone’s experience to bring them into reality.
If you could look at yourself from outside the loaf, you would see yourself as moving through a “worm hole” through the loaf. At one end of the hole you were born, at the other end you die, and in between you take up space in the loaf and do things.
Our experience of now is like a phonograph needle on a record. The recording is fixed, but the needle is where the action is. But it is possible to replay the record, but so far as we know, not the cosmos. So it’s not exactly the same. But it is a nice physical image.
Another difference between a recording and the cosmos is someone created the recording and did so with definite purposes. Absent a creator God, that’s not the case for us. Our lives are more like the trajectory of a bit that gets hurled after an explosion. The trajectory is fixed, but no one actually planned it.
Our worm hole is fixed, so there is a date, time, and means of death that already exist, albeit in a different part of the cosmos than the one we currently occupy. Same is true of every other fact about our future.
Even if determinism is true, is it really the case that our future is just as real as the present or the past even though it hasn’t happened yet? Our intuition is that the passage of time converts possibilities to fixed events, and that fixed events are real in a way that the future (which is viewed as a range of possibilities) is not.
If by real, one means that the item currently has spatial coordinates in three dimensional cosmos, it would seem that the future is not real. (On this view, though, the past isn’t real either, though we tend to think that the past as fixed in a way the future isn’t.)
If by real, one means it has coordinates in the 4 dimensional space/time cosmos (where time is not defined by our now, but rather is simply another coordinate in the cosmos), then the answer is yes it is just as real as items that our now or our past.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
i drive an anachronism
A couple of weeks ago i bought a body- on-frame, rear wheel drive, v-8 engined car, just like the ones that roamed the roads before the 70s gas crises. It's a 94 town car, a close relative to the current Crown Vic, mainstay of police and taxi companies. Fleets like them because you can smash a grill or fender and it doesn't bend the body. No one else buys them, though, except for old people, like me.
I shall keep it, along with my rotary phones, and my several turntables in varying states of disrepair.
I shall keep it, along with my rotary phones, and my several turntables in varying states of disrepair.
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