Let’s go back to Newtonian physics. Let’s return to the game of billiards. A perfect Newtonian physic playground.
Causality is the understanding that according to the rules of Newtonian physics that govern the way large visually observable objects interact we can tell that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. Causality works with probabilities. There is always a chance for the unexpected and for error. Let’s say I am extraordinarily good billiards player. I have my pool stick and I examine the billiard table. I decide to hit the cue ball with my stick and aim it so that it the ball will strike the eight ball and send it traveling to end up in the back right pocket on the table. Causality says I should be able to do this. If I successfully hit the cue ball with my stick with the proper impact and the proper angle it will careen into that eight ball and then send the eight ball to move and go into that pocket. Determinism says that I will always, 100% of the time will have success. I will never fail. It is inevitable. The outcome is determined by my action and the laws of Newtonian physics. But, the real world doesn’t work that way. I can make a mistake. I being an extraordinary player can do this say 95% of the time. Or even say 99% of the time. See, what I said. But if you watch real players and watch them over every game they play, there is some chance that they will flub up. Old age, having too much to drink, still being angry with a love one, or some worry about work, whatever, something can cause even the best player to make a mistake. That 1% or 5% possibility pops up and you don’t hit the cue ball with the right angle or the right amount of energy and off it goes and fails to hit the eight ball in the needed way and the eight ball travels but doesn’t go into that far right pocket. It goes somewhere other than where I intended. Causality with probability is how the real world operates. Causality with probability explains how and why billiard balls move. The game of billiards is never a pre-determined inevitable outcome. Determinism is a fantasy. Probability and causality is a reality.
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Gary Jaron
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