Determinism - the theory that all choices are pre-determined by circumstance. Knowledge of the paticular circumstance would change the outcome of your "choice".
So, basically, if we believed this idea then we, as humans, would have no real control over what happened in our lives, merely an illusion of choice. In essence, it could support the idea of destiny - inevitable choices that lead us to an inevitable outcome, an inevitable path that we must follow.
To be honest, I'm not sure if I like this idea or not really. It's certainly impossible to say for definite that it is false, but then there's no real proof that it's true either. I mean, the thought of just following a set path in life has it's attractive points - you could never really make a 'wrong choice' because you were meant to do what you did and it's comforting to think that everyone is going somewhere in life.
But then, how is it decided who gets what destiny? How is the choice made that gives one person fame and fortune and another poverty and misery? I suppose life can never be fair but I find it hard to believe that some people are unable to work their way out of a bad situation simply because some higher power has determined that they can't.
I guess, I'm still a fan of choosing your own way in the world - although, that too could be a choice in itself. Can you choose to make your own choices? And if that's the case, then was that choice pre-determined and so you're still not really acting independently?
I can just tell, two years of Philosophy and TOK is gonna make my head hurt....
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Ahhhh ToK Speak. D: Ahaha.
ReplyDeleteI too am not sure if I like that idea either... I mean then there would be prejudice and hate over those that get the 'better' destinies in the end and as you said, those who have been given the bad paths of life might not be able to work their way out of it and then...they have to suffer. I really don't like that idea.
Have you been given the talk about knowledge and what is deemed true and stuff? My teacher was like oh and how do we know the world around us is real? We could be in a dream, we could be a figment of someone else imagination in their dream or we could be in a coma...
I was like. :|
Hahah, guarenteed mind fucks when you do this subject. It's funnier when you see the questions on the tests. It's like I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION and then five minutes later you're like ohhhhhh and end up babbering on till you write like four sides. :|
no we haven't had THAT little speech yet :|
ReplyDeletewe're still getting lost in empiricism and rationalism and writing deep and insightful essays :|
Oh I'm sure it'll come. We haven't done empricism and that yet. :/
ReplyDeleteWe need a catch up soon btw. <3