looks like the worse altenative

[keannu]

1.What does "how can a choice be neither?" mean?
2.What does "what at this point looks like the worse alternative" mean? "Try not to hand my wallet to the armed man"?

pr32
ex)Free will is another mystery. How can my actions be a choice for which I am responsible if they are completely caused by my genes, my upbringing, and my brain state? Some events are determined, some are random; how can a choice be neither? When I hand my wallet to an armed man who threatens to harm me if I don't, is that a choice? I am faced with a momentous decision, and an expert on human behavior with a ninety-nine percent success rate predicts that I will choose what at this point looks like the worse alternative. Should I continue to agonize, or should I save time and do what's inevitable?

 

[SoothingDave]

1. How can a choice be neither random nor determined.
2. I'm not sure what the author is talking about. Is he still talking about being mugged or has he moved onto some other "momentous decision." Most people do not consider giving up their wallets to be "the worse alternative" to being shot.

 

[Tdol]

I'm with SoothingDave on this- I can't see what this expert on human behaviour is claiming. I'd rather lose my cash and credit cards than my life and I find it hard to believe many would disagree, but that is what the claims about the expert's success rate suggest. The writer could probably benefit from having an editor or proofreader look over their work.

 

[keannu]

I agree with all of you on the opinion that "giving up your wallet is a worse alternative", and regarding 1, I didn't mean its literal meaning, but the implied meaning of "random".
Does it mean one's unintentional, subconcious decision? "determined" seems to mean one's genetic or programmed inevitable action. People may have "free will", but it may be meaningless if you can't help but choose a specific action forced by your nature.

1.a choice be neither random nor determined

 

[Tdol]

If you make a choice, it must either be random or based on a decision- there's no third possibility.

 

[keannu]

How is it related to "free will"? So is "free will" neither random nor based on a decision?
Is the writer trying to say most actions come from predetermined response or random one, not "free will"?

 

[Tdol]

If a decision is genetic in origin, where's the free will?