This site presents a collection of informal papers by T L Hurst. A brief summary of each paper is below...
This paper looks at the main philosophic positions on free will. It suggests that the arguments for causal determinism being compatible with free will are invalid. The term "freewillism" is introduced, and the differences between freewillism, determinism and libertarianism are discussed.
This paper looks at the Turing test, Turing machines and Searle's 1980 thought experiment "The Chinese Room". It concludes that the Chinese Room scenario does not support his assertion that a modern computer is neither capable of understanding, nor the "right stuff" to support intent.
This paper suggests that the arguments for compatibilism are invalid because they use incompatible definitions of causal determinism and free will, an illegitimate definition of free will, and a flawed argument concerning free will and morality.
This paper suggests that the best evidence that reality exists outside our perception of it, is that it contains objects that are intentionally designed.
Philosophy and Quantum Mechanics
This paper discusses aspects of quantum mechanics that are of interest to non-scientists, but seem to be widely misunderstood: The Uncertainty Principle, the Dual Slit experiment and the Observer Effect, and the standard and alternative interpretations of quantum mechanics.
This paper looks at the relationship between truth and reality. Factors are grouped under four headings: Category, Scope, Class and Usage. Together, these factors form a four dimensional matrix.