It is a concept that I have always had a deep wonder for. Are my actions all just a predetermined destiny or do we have the free will to completely change the world with the choices we make. I somehow believe that it very well may be a combination of both. What do u people think?
Man I dunno. I've always considered cause and effect, where every thing is the result of a previous action. Which doesn't leave any room for free will...
Yes I also have a strong belief in cause and effect and in Karma.I believe that cause and effect leave all the time in the world for free will. But I also believe that some prophets such as Nostradomus were able to see visions of things that would come in the future. How is this possible if everything we do has an effect on the whole rest of the world. Well maybe some things that were foresought by prophets were brought on by our fate as a whole. maybe I am just really lit.
Fate, molecules behave in a specific manner for a specific purpose, whether we know that purpose or not, and since we're made up of molecules and atoms, we're simply doing whatever that purpose is.
I believe in free will. However, I believe that on a larger scale, certain patterns develop through probability. Maybe the universe conducts itself in a cyclical pattern; it is possible that certain things are bound to happen and that this could be defined as 'fate'. I think that the mechanics of the universe do abide by certain laws and it is possible that these laws dictate the natural order of events. However this is just speculation and more or less how I (want to) picture the universe should work (again, speculation)...
Our minds dont allow us to have free will. weather we blame it on society or whatever. our minds limit our true free will. because that would mean truley doing things different than what society is used to...and how would u look to the rest of the world...."crazy". Edit: just a thought of mine lol not facts or anything, obviously.
If we really had free will this would be a much better world. Instead we're all too afraid of the approbation of each other to do anything other than fit in with a crowd full of people hating themselves for fitting into the crowd, and almost without fail people fall for it every time. Oh, and IIRC a number of cognitive studies show that we're actually pretty bad at generating randomness. We're fairly deterministic creatures. I don't know if I could dig up any studies but I remember this from somewhere. We don't really do random.
Free will. Obviously every situation presents itself with a form of variables. You get to engage your free will within those variables. So basically, the ocean is huge, and you can swim anywhere you want inside it...but you can only go as far as the ocean allows.
Nostradamus himself said that we have the power to change the future he forsaw, even the end of the world. We just need change.
both. youre given free will to alter your life in any way you can... but in the end you cannot change fate.
Damn im stuck in the bathtub. My variables only appear so, after my previous actions and all those before them have presented me with one option
While I agree with you on this, I believe that it is our consciousness that leads us to the decisions we make. Our consciousness up made up neither of molecules or atoms, it's just something inside us. I believe in Fate up to the point that we all have one fate: To die. I simply cannot swallow the idea of each of us having an individual fate because that leads to questions like "why me?", or "who decided my fate?". Being an atheist, it's impossible for me to agree with the idea of each of us having a predetermined fate, because I don't believe that there is any higher power out there to do the determining. I believe each and every one of us has the ability to have free will, yet there is always something trying to keep us in line, make sure we don't stray from the herd. From things innocent enough like advertisers convincing us we need the newest iPod, to laws telling us who we can and cannot marry, what we can and cannot smoke, to who we can and cannot kill. Not that I'm suicidal in the least, but at any moment, wherever I am, whatever I'm doing, I'm choosing to be alive. One rope, one bullet, one cut and I could end it all. But then is that free will or my fate to die? Well, like I said.. We all have one fate: to die. Everything up until then is either coincidence or consequence. Great thread - Gave my mind a bit of a work-out