Letters

My Programming Made Me Do It

To the Editor:

In the Spring 2008 Academic Questions [vol. 21, no. 2], the interview with Tom Wolfe included an anecdote about his attendance at a conference on genetic theory and the legal system. One of the speakers apparently asserted that all human actions/reactions are “programmed” by our “evolutionary software.” Wolfe asked, “If there is no free will, why should we believe anything you’ve said so far? You only say it because you’re programmed to say it.” Although I didn’t personally hear the talk in question, and am certainly no expert on the subject, it seems to me the simplest and most obvious response would have been: Each of you will either believe me or not believe me according to your individual programming.

James H. Taylor

Associate Professor of Physics

University of Central Missouri