Comments on: Will You Sit Or Will You Steer?

By: Daniel Jalkut

Daniel Jalkut — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:11:34 +0000

Dad: I think you already know I lean heavily towards the free will end of the spectrum. Even if life is a series of predestined actions unfolding themselves, I believe that I myself will have a better time if I believe otherwise.

So I guess getting to the bottom of that deep metaphysical question is not really at the top of my list of things to do. I choose not to ponder it! :)

By: Mike Jalkut

Mike Jalkut — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 07:01:59 +0000

This raises the intriguing destiny v freewill question. If every decision can be explained as a methodical response to outside forces, do I have a will at all?

By: Daniel Jalkut

Daniel Jalkut — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:49:51 +0000

Alex: I think it’s $1 for kids :) Pretty awesome.

By: alexr

alexr — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:45:58 +0000

Community Boating was (is?) one of the greal things about growing up in Boston. Membership there was a pittance for those under 18.

By: Julian Cheal

Julian Cheal — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:21:02 +0000

This metaphor reminds me of my dissertation.

An autonomous navigation system for a sailing robot.

Even though in my project I’m making all the design/implementation decisions. That would lead me to believe I’m steering (the project). In reality all those decisions are actually being forced upon me by outside variables, design requirements, time constraints, etc. Which makes me feel more like a passenger.

Only if I knew which one I was. A sitter or steerer.

By: Coleman Nitroy

Coleman Nitroy — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 19:32:50 +0000

Great metaphor although I think as you gain more experience as a sailer you will learn Its the crew that is the brains of the boat. =)

Being a skipper on the smaller two man boats they have down there (420s, etc) takes enough physical technique and energy just operating the boat that a good crew will be making most of the decisions. When I raced it was the captains who crewed the boats. We would bark out our orders, look for wind changes in the water patterns, watch for opposing team violations and were always yelling back and forth talking in code so the other team would be unable to figure out our plan.

The skipper would give their crew orders on the boats operation (lines, sail positioning, and weight distribution) and that was about it. As far as the grand scheme of things including where we were going that was the crews job.