Manfred comments on How to not be a fatalist? Need help from people who care about true beliefs. - Less Wrong

6 Post author: Laoch 07 December 2013 07:17PM

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Comment author: Manfred 07 December 2013 07:40:38PM *  9 points [-]

Your future is completely controlled by the universe. Coincidentally, though, you are an important part of the universe. All the things that mystics might ascribe to souls and spirits - your ability to make decisions, your modeling and prediction of the outside world, your values and desires - are stored in physical patterns in the universe.

So when we say "your future is completely controlled by the universe," this can also be read as "your future is at least partly controlled by you."

Comment author: Kawoomba 07 December 2013 07:46:26PM 0 points [-]

Coincidentally, though, you are an important part of the universe.

For streeeeeetched definitions of "important" ;-).

Comment author: Manfred 07 December 2013 11:26:03PM 11 points [-]

Well, I'm important to me :P

Comment author: fubarobfusco 08 December 2013 07:28:53PM 5 points [-]

Well, you're a part of the universe that determines a lot of what happens next in that part of the universe — if only due to locality.

Comment author: Laoch 09 December 2013 04:34:23PM 2 points [-]

Why did this get -1 karma?

Comment author: fubarobfusco 09 December 2013 04:48:47PM 4 points [-]

Because I have a stalker.