Do algorithms have free will?

https://www.reddit.com/r/freewill/comments/1frccez/do_algorithms_have_free_will/

created by diogenesthehopeful on 28/09/2024 at 11:37 UTC

0 upvotes, 7 top-level comments (showing 7)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-kUIBoXlVA[1][2]

1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-kUIBoXlVA

2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-kUIBoXlVA

If every time I watch a bloody video on you tube the next video is about Barney the purple dinosaur, then my "guardrails" are being put for me so I won't be apt to have a more violent propensity in my advanced years. God bless altruism, but is this the algorithm's decision or big tech's decision and if it is big tech's decision aren't they the ones putting up guardrails for me? I mean how does duckduckgo stay in business if it isn't offering up all of these distractions that tend to break my concentration?

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Comments

Comment by vkbd at 28/09/2024 at 11:53 UTC

1 upvotes, 1 direct replies

For other people who may not want to watch a 3 minute video: the OP linked a video is titled "No Free Speech for Bots" which TL;DR where panelists are concerned about social media platforms's algorithms that are harming society by how algorithms filter/select public discourse.

Comment by Fit_Employment_2944 at 28/09/2024 at 13:50 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

That video is barely relevant to free will, if at all

Comment by TheAncientGeek at 28/09/2024 at 16:37 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

DAO think *which* algorithm matters?

Comment by Diet_kush at 28/09/2024 at 20:38 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Depends on whether or not the algorithm is adaptable.

Comment by LokiJesus at 29/09/2024 at 20:52 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

https://youtube.com/shorts/iLb98HQe7o8?si=lGjzE6DOD0l9xmzF[1][2]

1: https://youtube.com/shorts/iLb98HQe7o8?si=lGjzE6DOD0l9xmzF

2: https://youtube.com/shorts/iLb98HQe7o8?si=lGjzE6DOD0l9xmzF

Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Office of Google X projects and author, thinks so.

Comment by Training-Promotion71 at 28/09/2024 at 12:27 UTC

1 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Yes they do. Algorithms are living beings just like people. They also have rights.

Comment by mildmys at 28/09/2024 at 11:49 UTC

1 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I missed you Diogenes, where have you been?

I don't believe we have free will, so I definitely don't believe an algorithm has free will.

BUT

If I did believe we had free will, I would extend that free will to all things (as a monist, I think if we have that property, other things should be able to as well.)

And so, if free will exists, I say algorithms can have it too.