Freethought & Rationalism Archive

99Percent · 04-20-2002, 09:27 PM

I sometimes feel like life is taking me automatically to my destiny, whatever that is, despite my SOLID attempts to stop it. I really hate it! Please stop the world from turning! Reminds me of a Mafalda cartoon where Mafalda's younger brother, a baby really, stands up for the first time in his young toddler life, and demands that the world stop swirling, because he is getting dizzy!

Ender · 04-21-2002, 12:00 AM

your faith in determinism is far too optimistic.

~Speaker 4 the Death of God~

Laurentius · 04-21-2002, 03:26 AM

99Percent

With respect to your perception, I am a little Taoistic myself too. I even have a little theory of my own, that I'm sure must be better elaborated somewhere else, and which says that life is like a card game where you can control only few of the cards you get and few of the other players' actions - with every hand you win or lose you can improve your skills and final performance. Pretty simplistic, but for me it has made sense so far.
AVE

Automaton · 04-21-2002, 03:42 AM

If you don't know what your "destiny" is, how can you tell you're being dragged towards anything? Life is unpredictable, deal with it.

And no, destiny is not the same as determinism. Determinism is a fixed path that events must take, destiny requires some form of deviation, but will always only end in a fixed destination.

Bill · 04-21-2002, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Automaton:
<strong>And no, destiny is not the same as determinism. Determinism is a fixed path that events must take, destiny requires some form of deviation, but will always only end in a fixed destination. </strong>

Well, there is at least one anchor where all humans share a common fixed destination: DEATH!

We all have to face death sooner or later. Will you go in your sleep line one man I read about? Or will you go kicking and screaming, like the passengers in that man's car?

== Bill

Samhain · 04-22-2002, 12:06 AM

I refuse to face death as part of my free will.

99Percent · 04-22-2002, 01:37 PM

Wasn't it Sartre who said that the fact that we can die is actually our final say in our free will? We can always choose to kill ourselves in each of our decisions for any action. The fact that we can do so says that we are ultimately in control of our lives, no matter how deterministic it seems.

Bill · 04-22-2002, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 99Percent:
<strong>Wasn't it Sartre who said that the fact that we can die is actually our final say in our free will? We can always choose to kill ourselves in each of our decisions for any action. The fact that we can do so says that we are ultimately in control of our lives, no matter how deterministic it seems. </strong>

Of course, to a dedicated determinist, if you choose death for yourself, you were predetermined to do so from the get-go.

== Bill

04-20-2002, 09:27 PM	#1
99Percent Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: my mind Posts: 5,996	Destiny I sometimes feel like life is taking me automatically to my destiny, whatever that is, despite my SOLID attempts to stop it. I really hate it! Please stop the world from turning! Reminds me of a Mafalda cartoon where Mafalda's younger brother, a baby really, stands up for the first time in his young toddler life, and demands that the world stop swirling, because he is getting dizzy!

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04-21-2002, 12:00 AM	#2
Ender Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Lusitania Colony Posts: 658	your faith in determinism is far too optimistic. ~Speaker 4 the Death of God~

04-21-2002, 03:26 AM	#3
Laurentius Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Lucky Bucky, Oz Posts: 5,645	99Percent With respect to your perception, I am a little Taoistic myself too. I even have a little theory of my own, that I'm sure must be better elaborated somewhere else, and which says that life is like a card game where you can control only few of the cards you get and few of the other players' actions - with every hand you win or lose you can improve your skills and final performance. Pretty simplistic, but for me it has made sense so far. AVE

04-21-2002, 03:42 AM	#4
Automaton Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 717	If you don't know what your "destiny" is, how can you tell you're being dragged towards anything? Life is unpredictable, deal with it. And no, destiny is not the same as determinism. Determinism is a fixed path that events must take, destiny requires some form of deviation, but will always only end in a fixed destination.

04-22-2002, 12:06 AM	#6
Samhain Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,735	I refuse to face death as part of my free will.

04-22-2002, 01:37 PM	#7
99Percent Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: my mind Posts: 5,996	Wasn't it Sartre who said that the fact that we can die is actually our final say in our free will? We can always choose to kill ourselves in each of our decisions for any action. The fact that we can do so says that we are ultimately in control of our lives, no matter how deterministic it seems.

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