Expert: Charlie B - 3/29/2008

Question
I have heard it said, in the computer field, by Christian programmers, that computers cannot have free will, sense the world, or be self-aware, because only humans have these characteristics.  Even Christian scientists make these kinds of statements, from their belief.  I am a Christian myself, but am divided in the beliefs I hold.

I once made a computer program that slightly nudged its decisions when it had choices to make in it’s environment, by using a random number generator.  Now *most* random number generators produce only a static pattern of random numbers that anyone could predict, given the program, an argument many Christians pose, as man writes the code, man can know exactly what it is going to do, therefore no free-will.  However, I had a camera attached to the computer, and used the random numbers to pick points of light in the image randomly, and then I added the pixel’s light intensity noise right into the random number generator.  Now, according to the laws of the Quantum Physics, namely the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, therfore, *no one* on the entire earth, can know the position of all photons in space exactly, so no one on the entire earth, can know what decisions the computer I made, will make, based on the Quantum Probabilistic light intensity being sampled by the camera, and used by the decision making process of the computer.  Therefore, only God can predict the computer’s behavior, as I placed the computer’s will on a plane beyond all human reach, as the photons are absorbed by the camera, and cannot be known by man.

Thus, the computer had a free-will, by all Quantum Physics measures man could ever throw at it, as no one can know what it will do exactly, by Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle.  I didn’t give teh computer the ability to edit it’s own code, though it learned behavior rules by it’s own slightly randomized decisions in a unique path in time and actions, so it may or may not have had self-awareness, but it did definitely sense the world through the camera.

So, the question being, is it possible for a computer, at the very least, have free-will, by all physical definitions that the entire world can know?  Poetically:

Man writes the code, but man *cannot* know what it will do, only God can, who is outside of time, with the computer that man made, that is outside of time with God.

By Heisenberg, this is absolute truth, that man has already proven.

Answer
Shawn,
Wow, I'm blown away by your post.  I'm an Engineer by education, loved physics of all kinds, and have been studying the mind-body connection and unexplainable aspects to human thought (like levitation, dual-location, clairvoyance, etc), especially as it relates to prayer and focused mental images.  

You have some unexplainable data whose only conclusion may be correct.  I'd encourage you to watch an excellent film-movie called, "What the Bleep Do We Know" (www.whatthebleep.com).  

In one portion of the movie, a Japanese physicist had used an electron microscope on a drop of water, H2O.  Given the thought and feeling of love, or hate, the crystalization of the molecules formed very interesting images.  Thus, it's not a huge leap to consider if a computer has free-will ... or sure makes for good conversation over a beverage!

Here's my intellectual challenges to your statements:  technically, computers cannot have free-will for two simple reasons: they are not alive (meaning they don't have a soul, & not much of a body that lives) and two, hardware and software consistes of inputs-outputs, period.  The random number generator is just that, random.  If the camera picked up something, it's a one time, random event.  Have you repeated the observation or experiment several times?

See, the paradox is this:  nothing is inherently "good" or "bad."  It is how it is utilized.  The internet is both good (like www.lighthousecatholicmedia.com) or BAD, as in child-porn, tricked kids being abducted, & plague of pornography, et al.  So, free-will seeks to distinguish one decision (harder right way) from another option (easier wrong), and I'm encouraging to write more to us about these questions.

 Another excellent source of quantum physics is contained in www.thesecret.tv, and I have an article to share with anyone interested, Shawn about "Common Beliefs: Reconciling the Law of Attraction with Christian Faith" by dropping me a note at info@breedingtrust.com.  

There's a lot of similarities in what can be perceived as "divided beliefs."  You're to be congratulated on acting (asking questions, talking to others) when you feel that you have divided beliefs .... 'cause beliefs where never meant to be divided, once they become "knowings."  

Thanks again for your post.
Charlie
www.thepepcoach.com
www.breedingtrust.com

PS - Tell you what: I'm interested in corresponding off-line with you about your software that you've written. I have a hand in the software business as well, and want to get your opinions on a few things:  info@breedingtrust.com