Re: The Road with no Branches argument

From: X's Lover (together_at_hell.com)
Date: 10/26/04 

Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 00:15:10 -0400

In article <fd762132.0410250748.48a92fb1@posting.google.com>,
 peterdjones@yahoo.com (1Z) wrote:

> X's Lover <together@hell.com> wrote in message
> news:<together-C059BE.09403423102004@news.isp.giganews.com>...
> > In article <fd762132.0410230313.3c1ae11f@posting.google.com>,
> > peterdjones@yahoo.com (1Z) wrote:
> >
> > > One can also take the view that there are number of possible
> > > 'instants' or world-states, and at a 'fork in the road' one becomes
> > > actual and the others do not. This model captures indeterminism and
> > > the passingness of time without giving any special role the branch
> > > of the road that is not traversed...there is only a single trail
> > > of actualised world-states.
> >
> > The difficulty for me in this model is that it relies on the reality of
> > one individual versus what happens when another is involved.
>
> I didn't actually mention any individuals.

Correct. However, how you did write seemed to be from the perspective of
a single observer or actor.

> > For
> > example, two men stand at a fork in the road. Rather than both choosing
> > one the same path, they choose varied paths of all the possible options.
>
> [ shrugs ] then the future consists of one man taking the left
> hand path and another the right-hand path. What's the problem ?
>
> > Based on the explanation above then, multiple instants or world states
> > are created as others dissolve away from "reality:.

the is the actor who creates his/her own future and then within the
context of the future itself. It reminds me of the "would you kill
Hitler? question and the importance of any individual on the events
throughout time.

> If you assume that multiple individuals can freely choose any future,
> then they could choose conflicting futures. But there is no reason
> to suppose they can choose any future, they can only choose what is
> possible under the circumstances...

Could elaborate on the last sentence? I'm not sure how you are limiting
possible choices by circumstance.

> > This seems to affect the notions and perceptions of reality. For
> > example, you have an important decision to make that you believe will
> > affect your future. You choose option A thereby putting the future into
> > motion while options B through F dissolve away. Have you not at the same
> > time created a future for me as well?
>
> ..the circumstances, which will partly be the outcome of other peoples
> choices..

Do you mean outcomes when you speak of circumstances?

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