Scott Adams isn’t spontaneous
Scott Adams claims on his Dilbert Blog that he isn’t spontaneous, even though he has tried to be.
I say it is a matter of misunderstanding what spontaneous means.
Spontaneous actions are the mark of free will. Since Scott doesn’t have free will, he doesn’t understand spontaneity or free will. He just evolved that way. Umm. Scott claims, often, that there is no such thing as free will, and that he doesn’t believe evolution as stated is the real answer. And today he admits to be challenged about “Being spontaneous“.
Scott uses an example, that a ’spontaneous’ act would be to see a cookie, and immediately jump to, “what is that in my mouth?” I don’t think that is about spontaneous - it is about short-term memory loss. Planning a meal, planning an outing or shopping trip - planned. Open the cupboard and staring inside, waiting for inspiration to choose the cream of broccoli soup or the pork and beans with Vienna Sausage and a can of New Potatoes - that is spontaneous: Review the available resources, allow the resources present at the moment to influence your decision.
I imagine ‘impulse’ would be similar to spontaneous, only the resources present not only affect the decision, but influence action when no decision was contemplated. Impulsive behavior would be the ’see-food’ diet (I see food; I eat it). Or picking up the latest ‘Weekly World News’ to keep up with the latest Space Alien story and Page 5 girl - because of the provocative (Space Alien shaking hands with Mother Theresa’s ghost and Julie Andrew at the same time kind of thing) cover picture, next to the grocery store checkout line.
Impulse would be to go hunting for squirrel, come on a pond with frolicking, nekkid, neighbor girls, and accepting their invitation to join them. If you were trying to decide what to do this afternoon, and the girls present asked you to join them, that would be spontaneous. Spontaneous would be to offer to go out for supper, and respond to a comment from the wife about a new restaurant with, “Want to try that tonight?” That is, contemplate a decision, and let available resources influence the decision.