Algorithms & human behavior

[Bent-Winged Angel]

Do you think that there is an algorithm that corresponds to each individual's behavior?

[hobold]

No. At least no deterministic algorithm.

[jehovajah]

What if we had an algorithm, deterministic, but allowing choice?

As usual we cannot define reality away! Statistical Analysis shows a kind of determinism, but not surprisingly it is not absolute. So all things are possible means that nothing is absolute.

it was always amazing to me that i lived in a probabilistic universe, then i localised the probability into a probability field/cloud to allow for infinite possibility. Seemed reasonable adjustment to make.

[Bent-Winged Angel]

I do believe that some people would fall into a "deterministic algorithm."

[Madman]

What if what we experience as choice, is just a result of a couple of complex chemical reactions? That there is no choice at all? That would mean that we all fall into a deterministic algorithm. Not a pretty thought, but it may be closer to reality then the alternative...

[reallybigname]

I think that all of our behavior, our thoughts, our bodies, blood vessels, neurons, etc. are all following complex fractal patterns.  We are all just like flowers in a field, many representations of some fractal pattern that lies beneath.  But, we have the strange ability to believe that we're choosing what we do.  It's all predetermined, and our thoughts about it are predetermined.  However, since nobody knows what that predetermination will lead to, we can go on living in our blind ignorance, thinking we have free will.  That's the beauty of it.  But, yeah, we are all algorithms made of stardust...