Are all our actions predetermined as a result of our biological make-up which makes us choose in a certain way or do we have freedom to create our own choices? Is choice just an illusion?
2007-08-23 00:29:44 · 22 answers · asked by Bruce Castle 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Neither
We are the result of a million little accidents. The first one happened at conception, which usually is itself an accidental occurrence.
Our biological make-up is also an accident, we may choose pathways, but we are not responsible for the ability to follow those paths, they are controlled by a number of gate keepers.
If you go for a job, your CV may be chosen, but that depends on how tired the person compiling the candidates is, and the hidden agenda they use to select those jobs, and even the number of candidates applying for the job.
The day of the interview is all down to another set of accidents, the fact that you have a boil on your bum, and have to miss it to get it lances in hospital, the bus that hit you instead of taking you to the interview, and the fact that the interviewer took offence to the joke she heard you telling another candidate as you waited to be interviewed are all accidental.
You do not choose your diet, it has been influenced by your parents, your friends, your taste buds and your finicial status. Most of that coice is informed by the results of a string of accidents.
Choice is an illusion, and our biological makeup a random throw of the die.
2007-08-23 00:38:25 · answer #1 · answered by DAVID C 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's an interesting question, because I think that fate and choice are inextricably linked. Our fate is determined by our character, as are our choices, therefore the two are one and the same. One's fate is certain and unchangeable, because human nature is so predictable and constant that it is certain what choices we will make, before we make them.
So in answer to the first question, I think that fate comes as a result of our freedom to choose, not as it's alternative.
you summed this up very nicely with your next question and I do think that our actions, or choices, are 'predetermined as a result of our biological make-up' (our character, some would call it our soul) which means that we will certainly choose in a particular way, despite a freedom not to do so.
I think that choice is an illusion, but it is no more so than fate, because the two both depend entirely upon character and I therefore think that neither fate nor choice really exist; both are merely the result of our personality.
2007-08-23 09:08:08 · answer #2 · answered by country gal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We all have the freedom to choose. Nobody can seriously question that. But the point is: are our actions a result of REAL free will or only an IMPRESSION of it? I think it doesn't matter really. If this life is designed in such a way that it seems that we have freedom to choose, then that's good enough for me. Choice is not an illusion in that sense that if you make a choice, you have the feeling that you have made a choice, and that everybody else will confirm that you have made a choice. The choice happening is an observable, real thing. You took the red car and not the black one. You become aware of freedom of choice when you realize that you actually prefer the black car. %&/#!!! Now you can decide to sell the red one and go for the black one after all. It's up to you. Nobody can keep you from buying a plane ticket for Moscow and go there for one weekend. Maybe all these decisions are written somewhere in the book of your life. Maybe it's all illusion. But it's wonderful. Your freedom of choice is as real as it could possibly be. Sociologically speaking, your decisions are, to a certain degree, predictable. But only to a certain degree. I tend to believe that we don't actually have freedom of choice, but the extreme complexity of the logic behind physical existence is pure fog to a human brain. Thus, the impression of being free, actually means we ARE free. As human beings, we couldn't be more free. If we had the cognitive power of millions of brains in one single person, maybe we would be able to get a glance at the laws that are guiding life and time, and our journey on earth would be quite spooky. We would be able to make short time future predictions, like meteorologists can predict weather one day ahead. We would understand ourselves acting and fulfilling the programm of time. We would not be the cheerfull, silly little beings we are, but sad, god-like creatures, which are trapped in a mental reproduction of reality. I don't know if insects have feelings, but their short lives must be a state of continuous ecstatic joy. They know nothing about the weird questions humans struggle with. We are the in-betweens: not clever enough to understand IT, not simple enough to experience bliss. But definitely free....in a certain way.
2007-08-23 08:35:02 · answer #3 · answered by phenotype 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My goodness! Half these answers have a thumbs down! Whats up with that?
People say we have freedom to choose but Im not so convinced. We are born into circumstances and from these circumstances we make decisions based on our capacity. Now we all have the option to choose to some degree obviously but if for example, I am born into a low income family and ask my parents for a private jet and a mercedes for my 18th birthday then we all know that isnt going to happen. Yea I chose to have a private jet etc but I couldnt actually get one simply because of my circumstances which I didnt choose. It was something I was born into.
As my circumstances change, I have the ability to choose more which is part of the reason why people earn money, so they can have more choice.
2007-08-24 05:45:13 · answer #4 · answered by Mistress_T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rationally i would say that we control our lives and our choices and that no invisible force is in control of our lives, pushing and pulling us in different directions, fate is just another construction built around us that we believe controls what happens and that our lives are a prerecorded history, just waiting for us to play our part. I can imagine that there is a place where millions of books are stacked high up to the ceiling and in each of these books is our lives written out all ready for us, predetermined. but i just cant seem to put any belief behind the image, in reality our choices are made by the way we are feeling and what surrounds us but mainly by the person at hand.
Fate does not exist, but i am open to arguments.
2007-08-24 12:07:02 · answer #5 · answered by kitty 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think we all have the freedom to make our own choices, but that it is part of the predetermined "fate". In other words, we make our choices based on what we know and how we feel, but that these things are already determined for us on another level, i.e. fated to be. Choice is not an illusion, it is fate guiding us along the path we were meant to go.
2007-08-23 07:39:08 · answer #6 · answered by Laurie K 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sometimes our actions are simply down to fate e.g. winning the lottery.
Sometimes our actions are predetermined as a result of our biological make-up e.g. being struck by illness
Sometimes you can choose - turn left or turn right at the next crossroads. Choice in most cases is not an illusion e.g. you choose your own numbers for the lottery.
2007-08-23 07:45:15 · answer #7 · answered by jeff hall 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well FATE as you ask was what brought you on this planet?? Don't you think?? What inspired you to ask this question? I sense that you have apparently had unusual dealings for you would not have had to ask this question otherwise, if you have then you need to ask yourself why has this happened what is it that has urged you to question this. We all of course have our own unique DNA profile etc and yes you are the one who chooses what it is that you are interested in but everything outside of that I believe is FATE. Things happen for a reason, for example if you had a bad vibe and you chose not to go somewhere only to find out something terrible happened to that location or the other aspect you had the urge to go somewhere only to find that you were meant to be there because if you hadnt you would have not been able to provide support to that person(s), we could go on and on about this but I believe that you know what I am getting at, because you know what the answer is!! Please contact me if you want futrther discussion. I am myself learning about my inner self.
2007-08-24 13:31:02 · answer #8 · answered by mcdermott mbe m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I beleive our past and present makes our future therefore in some respects you could say it is predetermined because you cannot excape the past or where you are from. However if you start to beleive and really understand that the present NOW controls the future then the freedom of choice determines your future with a greater percentage.
2007-08-23 07:41:52 · answer #9 · answered by A . Z . 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The dual nature of universe.
There are two layers of factors that influence the outcome of our fate.
The inner circle is all that you do - your biological make up and the execution of your free will.
Then there is the outer circle - the biological make up and the execution of free will of all the other entities that are linked to you in some or the other way.
So you can do your best but still fail due to the outer circle.
That is why we opt for the civilized, just and free societies where your own actions have a better impact on your fate.
EnjOY
2007-08-23 11:21:02 · answer #10 · answered by vinod s 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋