h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It strikes me that people are missing something when they conclude that, if our actions could, theoretically, be worked out beforehand, we don't have 'free will'.

How would one go about such a calculation? The simplest way is to build a universe to the required specification and let it run. In other words, even if what we do is predictable, it's only predictable by *waiting until we've done it*. Any process which is able to calculate a person's actions is *equivalent* to that person being alive.

If what we do can be predicted, it can only be predicted by waiting until we've done it. Does that mean we don't have free will? Of course not.

Theoretically, superdeterminism does lead to the conclusion that if we knew the initial conditions of the Universe, we *could* then write the complete history of the Universe without having to wait for it to happen. The truth of falsity of superdeterminism does not actually depend on anyone/thing being able to predict anything.

As you say, how could these kinds of prediction ever be made?

Your point about the Universe being its own simulator brings "Deep Thought" to mind!

Strangely, a superdeterministic Universe, could, theoretically, play fast and loose with the physical laws which we try to formulate, making it less predictably predictable (in a practical sense) than we currently experience (pretend?) it to be.

Why?

If the Universe has a pre-set pattern (the patterns of events in the aspic), it could be postulated that it has a purpose, a direction. This is where we start to move into metaphysics and even theology. Mind of God stuff. And this is where I stop (before the postings start!)