From Tony Spottiswoode, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK
Tom Stafford notes the ability of a cellular automaton to generate an endless, unpredictable set of behaviours, given the right rules and starting conditions – importantly, not the same starting conditions (6 April, p 34). I am not clear why this should give comfort to those who believe that free will isn’t a meaningless illusion.
Many people who logically believe that free will is an illusion, as I do, act as though we have faith that free will is real. Doing so avoids a nihilistic approach to life and a loss of purpose.
But sometimes, a reversion to the belief that it is an illusion can engender a more tolerant attitude to those whose actions are antisocial, or whose opinions are contrary to ours.
