Comments | elouise_bmc: (11) It was destined taht i write this entry.

elouise_bmc

(11) It was destined taht i write this entry.

Nov 29, 2007 15:58

So here's the thing. I don't think i believe in free will anymore. Is that against the rules of being a teenager? o-o

In philosophy we've been talking about "determinalism". There's a really long definition, and i am sure that i am overgeneralizing here, but basically what it says is given that the past is a certain way, according to the laws of ( Read more... )

Comments 5

castle_building November 30 2007, 20:01:56 UTC

Yeah, I've always believed in this. I just like to call it fate, but it's cool to know it has a real name. It's the only thing that REALLY makes sense, when you think about it. And people DO refer to it all the time. When they say something like, "I wonder who I am destined to marry" or "I wonder where I am going to end up living" there is an implication that they believe the future is set, isn't there?

I really hope I can take Philosophy next semester. o-o;;

elouise_bmc December 1 2007, 07:57:03 UTC

It's kinda true, if you think about it. There's definitely a difference between determinism and fatalism though... and that's why i think a lot of people are afraid of the idea. Because fatalism is a completely different kind of thing which i DON"T believe in on any level, which is more like... If i am going to pass this test or fail this test is already "set in the stars", and so there's no point in studying, because if i am "meant" to pass, then i will pass just by virtue of the powers that be, and if i am meant to fail there's nothing i could have done about it anyway ( ... )

castle_building December 1 2007, 10:25:02 UTC

Yeah, I've never known exactly how to explain my idea without sounding like I want everyone to just give up and let fate take control. If you do that, then I guess you're meant to do that, but then your life sure as hell isn't going to go anywhere, is it? Just because everything is set, doesn't mean you should stop trying.

I think you can put a positive spin on destiny, if you do it right. The marriage question might seem a bit... odd. Really though, it just means that there's someone out there who you eventually will meet and end up with. It's scary, but not in a bad way.

I never thought of this theory as having a lack of free will though. I don't know how I can properly explain that though, because it only makes sense in my mind. I guess it's sort of like... Just because we are going to make a given decision, doesn't mean that at that moment in time in which we make it, we lack the freedom to make it. Ugh, I really wish I could verbalize things better. >>;; I swear it works in my head.

elouise_bmc December 3 2007, 22:06:38 UTC

Hmm. That's kind of the argument before, where if you consider yourself to be making a decision it is implied that you could have the possibility of having made the other decision. Like, if the man raised his hand then the statement "the man raised his hand" could be rendered false by going back in time and having the man NOT raise his hand ( ... )

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