[extropy-chat] limits of computer feeling

[Stathis Papaioannou]

On 3/21/07, Jef Allbright <jef at jefallbright.net> wrote:

> we are more concerned with our happiness, which for evolution is just a
> > means to an end,
>
> Arghh!  Teleological confusion alert!


Any teleological explanation is ultimately vacuous, since the only two
possible explanations for why things happen are determinism or true
randomness (this is the same reason the question of "free will" is vacuous).
Nevertheless, it is sometimes useful within a system to give a teleological
explanation, like Dawkins' "selfish gene" metaphor.

Stathis Papaioannou
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