[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]
A man walks up to a wise man and says, "do humans have free choice?" The wise man thinks for a second and then kicks the other man hard in the knee. The man says, "Ouch. why did you do that." The wise man says nothing. He kicks him again. "What's your problem? Stop that!" Again, the wise man says nothing. Again, the wise man kicks the other, and again and again until he is irate. "That's it, I'm calling the cops! You should be punished for this!" he exclaims.

Should the wise man be held accountable for his actions? If so, he has free choice. If not, there is no basis for punishing him.

[/ QUOTE ]

First of all, if the querent didn't learn anything from this endeavor, then the wise man is hardly "wise."

Secondly, there are reasons to take action against the old man that fit with a deterministic paradigm. The old man is insane, and needs some help for his own good. The old man is also a likely danger to others, and needs to be "corrected," however that is to take place.

As for your concept of punishment, there is no reason to bring further suffering to the old man unless it does a requisite amount of good for him, and more importantly, others.

I don't see determinism as nihilistic or in any way an excuse to get out of personal responsibility. Quite the contrary. A sensible person who realises the relationship between cause and effect should realize also an increased sense of power and control, and accordingly strive for what is in his best interests.