Nick, The good idea is a hypothetical imperative as it compels actions in a given circumstance (not all circumstances): if it will aid the boat's stability, I should move to the opposite side.
If you want a categorical imperative that would be applicable, I'd suggest: I should not act like a twonk. This is something that is necessary and universal: not only do I not want to act like a twonk but I do not want anyone else to either (qv. http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/141/dictionary.jsp for translation) Most rules in ABMs are examples of hypothetical imperatives as they are usually contingent on the state of neighbours and the environment. Robert On 8/13/07, Nicholas Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > David, > > Can you explain this relation a bit further. Sorry if I am being dim, but > I did not quite understand your comment. Let's say we are on the QE2 > which, for some reason is inclined to be a bit tippy. We notice that the > passengers are gathering on the right side of the ship, which is OK so long > as the water is calm, but would be disastrous if a storm came. We have no > particular reason to believe that a storm is coming, except that half the > meteorologists in the Captain's meteorological committee think that there > is. You and I get together and decide that it would be a good idea for > some of us to move over to the other side of the boat. Now, certainly this > is not a CATEGORICAL imperative. I certainly cannot will that EVERYBODY go > over to the other side of the boat. So what kind of an imperative is it. > How is it possible for everybody to act so that the boat is in balance. > This would have everybody constantly moving from one side of the boat to the > other, like one of those models of neighborhood integration where either the > neighborhood is unintegrated or everybody is unhappy. > > How DOES one square Kant with ABM's??? > > And what did it have to do with Pascal's Wager in the first place? > > Nick > > >
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