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Traditionally, free will or pre-determination has been one of those 'mutually exclusive categories' questions. The more that I think about this one though the more it appears to me that it is more of an 'uncertainty principle' question. Put simply: which will apply depends on what you are looking at, at what level and for what purpose. 'Choice' is essentially a sentient activity, that is a thinking decision has to be made. We live at a biological and cultural level of experience and have no real sight of sub-atomic activity on a day-today basis, even genetic biochemistry is little understood and certainly not a factor in our immediate awareness. Because we are blind to underlying realities and because the interactions are chaotic, complex, and innately unpredictable, we can exercise 'choice'. At the same time, our apparent choices are determined by dynamics in the fundamental nature of reality (matter, energy, Tao, God, whatever brand you prefer) and our choices are inevitable. Even whether you consider yourself to have free will or believe yourself determined by destiny is innate in the moment. So if you want to use it for an excuse to be fatalistic, you probably will. When it works out well, with 20/20 hindsight you can give it a capital letter: Destiny. If these weird wyrds help to make your strand in the weave more positive then I will be doing what I do. I think therefore I am.
Welcome to ipernity!
Armando Tabordapro says:
Shi*pro replies:
Blendo says:
But just between you and I,
I love your writing much better!
Shi*pro replies:
Stilettopro says:
I choose the freedom to feel...
Shi*pro replies:
Stilettopro replies:
=D
Oniric Mermaid says:
Predetermination, is just a concept to put on others (God, destiny, magic) the blame/medal on what happens to us. Unfortunately, or fortunately -depending on how "lucky" you are in life- we take the steps or decisions that move us ahead. Those concepts are great because help us to bear the challenges that any human being has to stand by giving us relief for not being more successful, or by giving a push of our egos so that we can present ourselves as the chosen ones, magic specimens within the human race. Destiny is, after all, a sort of philosophical or spiritual Prozac.
Not even two animals genetically cloned behave identically if placed in different environments, despite their genetics being the same. The fact that our fathers or grandfathers were geniuses, drunkards or bowel cancer sufferers don't turn us automatically into geniuses, drunkards or cancer sufferers, although pushes us a bit in certain direction.However, we move pressed by external and internal impulses that mark our path in this world.
If you have the gene of breast cancer your "genetic destiny" is there, but you can go to the doctor, have your breast removed and reconstructed; you can check periodically your breast to fight the illness before it starts. If you family -as my father's- is prone to diabetes, you lead a lifestyle and foodways that minimise that tendency -my father is the only sibling without diabetes in his family-. Gordon Ramsey, the cook, is the son of a drunkard and violent father, abuser of his wife,who badly neglected his family. Look at Gordon... successful in every way.
If you are a child born in Malawi in a family of seven and your parents don't work and keep breeding, despite not having food and having condoms around that they could use, the whole family and, therefore, the child, will have to go through hell to beat those circumstances that they are building. However, those circumstances aren't "destiny", not even if we understand destiny as something practical and not "beyond humans".Moreover, that family hast to deal with economical and weather circumstances of which they aren't responsible. For example, the monoculture of food plants that the Western World needs (coffee, cacao, for example) instead of those that would feed the population. The example of starving Africa is perhaps the one that most people would use to speak of a predetermination in a practical way, to show that what we do doesn't matter. What about Botswana? Beyond the diamonds they have social and cultural and anti-corruption practices that are different from the surrounding area. What about Rwanda and the Belgian division of locals -aleatory- in Tutsies and Utues,which would end creating a dramatic war? Most things that cause an African child or an African family to be poor and without hope aren't "predetermined" by heavens or by the world as abstract entities.
At the end of the day, we are demiurges, fantastic ones, creating our own lives or changing them. The circumstances surrounding us can be favourable or unfavourable, and sometimes we can challenge those circumstances in our benefit or against us. Life is a game, and not every player wins, unfortunately. However, I repeat, we are all demiurges. We all make life, not only ours,but others, too, since we live in a planet that is not a bunch of humans, but a bunch of people in different countries, cultures,economies, and religions fighting for stupid things, doing nasty things to other people, and mostly interested in themselves. We are responsible, directly or indirectly for that. No destiny, just actions, OUR actions, yours, mine, and theirs serve to change our lives and other people's too, even to change the climate... Like a butterfly effect.
The power of the individual to create/transformate is underrated because people prefer their ration of psychological Prozac.
(I kinda like my reply :D I am going to include it in my private blog. Thanks for your thought of the day.I have reedited this 100 times at least!)
Oniric Mermaid edited this comment 9 months ago.
Shi*pro replies:
Happy creative transformative choosings for you!
Oniric Mermaid says:
I don't believe in external abstract entities, religions, or mythological beliefs. I believe what I think it makes sense, which is not a belief after all.
Yes,I believe in our "weaving our individual strand in the universal pattern" since we can see and proof that this is the case. I don't believe in any fate being attached to that weaving, though. We have free will if we are free, not if we are slaves. The fact that we are free humans or slaves is not a consequence of destiny or fate (History show us many lessons in that respect) since a slave can become free individual, and a free individual can become slave because of many things, among others, his/her unwillingness to change his/her situation and keep justifying it in any sort of way (negatively or positively). Movement starts when we move.Change starts when we start changing if the circumsntances are not too pressing on us, and we are able (pyschologically or practically) to overcome them.
Happy week!.
Oniric Mermaid edited this comment 9 months ago.
Shi*pro replies:
No, seriously, the parallels between mythology, psychology, philosophy and hard science just fascinate me! ... endless translation potential!
Christel Ehretsmannpro says:
as pebbles thrown up to the sky by life and which would say : oh, just look how I'm moving ,
yet, I feel free to say and believe that :
OUR BEEING ATTRACTS OUR LIFE
Shi*pro replies:
... and it unfolds like a flower.