<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>Jef Albright wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Uh...thanks, I think.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>But rather than "reducing [my] compulsion" to</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">increase the coherence and extensibility of our thinking on these</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">topics -- haven't you actually reinforced it? ;-)</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I guess this highlights our divergent views on compulsion. I discriminate between voluntary response and obligation driven compulsion. </DIV><DIV>I encourage you to respond to "seeking minds," but not to feel personally obligated to provide me with the "higher level" view. </DIV><DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">A band of musicians playing together can be greater than the sum of</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">the musicians playing separately.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>But that greater cooperative act is</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">the results of smaller acts of competition, selecting for arrangements</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">that work together at the higher level.</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV>We call the selection process "musical chairs" and the cooperative act "concert." I know dueling soloists can be great fun. That became stock fare for the common audience centuries ago. I indulge in "trading fours" at every blues jam where I find a competent competitor. My favorite capping tactic involves anticipating what my opponent will play and harmonizing instead of attempting to outdo her. It sounds so much better than wrangling for dominance. </DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I think Gordon challenged your chair with his "will as essence," but failed the audition when he abdicated intellect. I don't see animal drives as the essence of human nature . I don't see lagging self awareness as all that relevant to human agency. I still have a little trouble with agents acting for a "whatever type entity" since that grants personhood status to all manner of abstract beings some of which lack individuality. I never met a corporation with a personality of its own. How do we handle agents posing as entities? My suggestion: Abolish collective (and thus covert) title. Extend this! -- Thomas</DIV></BODY></HTML>