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TOC ⌄
Manipulating the CausalitiesDefining "Causalities"The Window SeatCan I manipulate motivation?The VariablesM1: Recursive ChainM2: Temporal ParadoxM3: ProxyM4: EliminationM5: Black BoxM6: Continuity

# Manipulating the Causalities§

When we ask the question, *"Why do I act?"*, we typically expect a psychological answer: motivation, discipline, desire, fear et cetera. We treat action as if it were a direct command sent from the brain down to the limbs.

In [Ambivalence of Motivation](../ambivalence-of-motivation/index.html), I discovered the failure of this model. If an action is not always the automatic consequence of an intellectual decision, then what actually brings an action into reality?

## Defining "Causalities"§

In classical physics, causality is usually treated as a singular, linear chain of events: object *A* collides with object *B*, causing outcome *C*.

In human volition (synonymous to *will*), however, causality is never singular. An action does not occur simply because you "decided" to do it. An act is an event. And for that event to take place, multiple distinct dimensions of necessity may exist.

I can define a **Causality** as:

> An active channel of necessity, constraint or momentum that bridges the gap between the possibility of an act and its physical execution.

A causality is not a post-hoc rationalization. It is not the story my mind invents after I close my laptop to justify *why* I spent four hours reading papers or staring at the wall.

## The Window Seat§

I was on a two-hour flight heading home for the upcoming Diwali holiday. Surrounded by the hum of jet engines (and strangers), I literally had nothing else to do except stare out the window toward the clouds.

After spending few minutes, my mind picked up the unsolved question from my previous article, [Ambivalence of Motivation](../ambivalence-of-motivation/index.html).

## Can I manipulate motivation?§

Maybe. Maybe not.

To answer that, I had to step back (mentally) and look at my own behavior. When I perform an action *X*, *why* do I do it?

I observed six causalities:

  1. 1. I am doing *X*, because it is a prerequisite for doing *Y* in the future.
  2. 2. I am doing *X*, because it is a consequence of *W* done in past.
  3. 3. I am doing *X*, because someone told me to.
  4. 4. I am doing *X*, because it was the only action that I could perform at the given moment.
  5. 5. I am doing *X*, because I want to do *X*.
  6. 6. I am doing *X*, because *X* is already being done by me.

To manipulate myself into doing *X*:

  1. 1. I must manipulate myself into doing *Y* in the future.
  2. 2. I must manipulate myself into having done *W* in the past.
  3. 3. I must manipulate someone into telling me to do *X*.
  4. 4. I must manipulate the refutation of all possible actions other than *X*.
  5. 5. I must manipulate my soul into having a desire or an intent to do *X*.
  6. 6. I must manipulate *X* into already being done by me.

## The Variables§

Let:

### *M1*: Recursive Chain§

To manipulate myself into doing *X*, I must manipulate myself into doing *Y* in the future.

But why will I do *Y*? To manipulate myself into doing *Y*,

  1. 1. I must manipulate myself into doing *Z* in the future.
  2. 2. I must manipulate myself into having done *V* in the past.
  3. 3. I must manipulate someone into telling me to do *Y*.
  4. 4. I must manipulate the refutation of all possible actions other than *Y*.
  5. 5. I must manipulate my soul into having a desire or an intent to do *Y*.
  6. 6. I must manipulate *Y* into already being done by me.

This chain may never end...

### *M2*: Temporal Paradox§

To manipulate myself into doing *X*, I must manipulate myself into having done *W* in the past.

I cannot change the past, not until someone discovers time travel. Therefore, in real-time, *M2* is unmanipulable. However, it may be manipulable proactively: my present self can set a trap *W* today so that my tomorrow self has to perform *X* in the future. But that makes *W* a prerequisite for some future *X*. Not sure if it is any different from *M1*.

### *M3*: Proxy§

To manipulate myself into doing *X*, I must manipulate someone into telling me to do *X*.

May be possible. Needs further research.

### *M4*: Elimination§

To manipulate myself into doing *X*, I must manipulate the refutation of all possible actions other than *X*.

May be possible. Needs futher research.

### *M5*: Black Box§

To manipulate myself into doing *X*, I must manipulate my soul into having a desire or an intent to do *X*.

This was the root cause of all the problems :) May or may not be possible. Needs further research.

### *M6*: Continuity§

To manipulate myself into doing *X*, I must manipulate *X* into already being done by me.

No idea why I have this category. It just sounds nice. For example, I am living, because I am already alive.

May or may not be possible. Needs further research.

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