X-Message-Number: 1626 Date: 16 Jan 93 17:28:32 EST From: MICHAEL RISKIN <> Subject: CRYONICS: Responses and Initiations Steve Harris wrote that social courage is rarer than imagination which in turn is rarer than raw intelligence. Yes,probably, although I am not as such aware of evidence to support that statement. Besides, it is the proverbial "apples to oranges" hierarchal comparison. Social courage is a characterological quality whereas imagination/intelligence are creative/cognitive qualities. Other "is rarer than" (IRT) strings are: *Social courage IRT Individual expression IRT individual Thought. *Conceptual transcendence IRT creativity IRT imagination. *Synthesis IRT thesis/antithesis IRT intelligence. On the other hand, free will , is partly defined by me as the human capability that enables the above qualities. In my imagination, free will is actually the name we give to the observed output of the "organ of free will". Just as humans are born with a heart that has a cardiac potential ,which will be more or less met ,to the degree the heart is encouraged to prosper, left to atrophy, or poisoned, I envision a neurological structure, likely but not necessarily ,contained within the brain. This undiscovered organ (undiscovered of course because no one knows where to look or has technology capable of "seeing it") is with us at birth with its own potential. For the purpose of this piece , let me define free will as the relative ability to overcome the precedent nature/ nurture forces and produce something not subject to cause and effect but rather something genuinely new and unpredictable. So , with all of that to assume for now, this organ can be encouraged or discouraged to maximize. And, some humans are born with greater potential. How do we teach cardiac wellness?. "Quit smoking, exercise, eat less fat, ..." How can we encourage free will? Quit the cult, exercise (allow ourselves,our children...to think the unthinkable, defend the undefendable) , dont occlude the pathways, and mental quided experiences that facilitate free willness. Maybe even medication. Many years ago I envisioned the decision process as a subjectively weighted moving average of all prior knowledge on the subject at hand factored by the free will force at the current moment. .............................................................................. Chucharillas hard dark painted chucharillas... spiked nailed tight chucharillas... oily and hot nippled and firm crawling over me. mr 1988 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1626