Curiouskid comments on Wanting to Want - Less Wrong

16 Post author: Alicorn 16 May 2009 03:08AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (185)

You are viewing a single comment's thread.

Comment author: Curiouskid 26 May 2011 12:06:13AM *  0 points [-]

I'm glad you introduced me to the term meta-wanting because it reminds me on an argument against free will.

Basically, you can go to a CD store (itunes now) and you can choose which CD you choose to buy because you prefer that CD. But you cannot prefer to prefer that CD. You simply prefer (1st order) that CD. You could try to raise the order of your preferences (an idea that had not occurred to me until now), but at the next highest order, your decision has already been made.

To me, that is the most convincing argument against free will that I've ever come across. Has anyone heard it before?

Comment author: MathieuRoy 23 November 2013 03:51:51PM *  1 point [-]

I want that my highest metawanting be this sentence.

  1. This is my highest order of metawanting.
  2. It was determine by me wanting it (so it wasn't already made).

I'm joking. I don't really want to want that my highest metawanting be wanting that my highest metawanting be wanting that my highest metawanting be wanting that.... haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. :-)

Comment author: shminux 04 January 2012 03:08:30AM 0 points [-]

Have you considered that the free will debate is vacuous, as, ironically, we have no choice but to act as if we had free will?

Comment author: Curiouskid 04 January 2012 03:13:50AM 0 points [-]

So, I made this post before I'd even read the sequences.