Had a lovely talk about Determinism with one of my sons on Skype last night. As you do.
But …as the old joke goes … I was bound to say that.
Not many people are enamoured by the idea that, even if, in one sense we are capable of making voluntary actions, we don’t actually have free will - that there is an inevitability to everything we do. It’s an even less popular concept than trying to take “God” out of the equation.
On the surface it seems to go against our intuition, and how we feel that we operate in day to day life. But in practise, even when we “decide” to do something, that decision is simply the last domino to fall, in a long sequence of dominos that go back to the beginning of time. If there is such a thing. And we didn’t have any control over any of those dominos if we are honest.
It’s fine to say “I could have done that, instead of this”. But I didn’t. I did this. And I have, again if I’m honest, absolutely know idea what particular thought, movement or sensation is going to step to the front stage of my consciousness in the next instance.
An interesting thing happens though, if we take Free Will out of the equation. We can’t help but develop more compassion for ourselves and for everybody else in the world. Including the Bad Buggers.
”Yeah, but I want to FEEL better than other people. I want to take credit for my achievements. I want my hard earned status (!???) and sense of superiority”.
But I discovered, when I Woke Up One Day as a Determinist, just as I woke up one day not believing in God, that the world didn’t fall apart. Instead it opened things up a little bit more. I was still the same person with the same desires and motivations. I still wanted to develop good habits, make the most of this life, and live as though other people’s lives mattered.
But I was able to do so with a greater sense of wonder, and a great deal more inclination to feel forgiveness and understanding for everybody. Including myself. Just the inclination I should add. But also a new readiness to start again pretty much immediately, when I failed.
It’s a hard idea to get the old noodle around, and a little bit discombobulating at times. And it undoubtedly raises lots of relevant questions. But I’m finding it quite liberating. And actually, I can’t see things any other way now. The fact that my life is inevitable, doesn’t steal the pleasure away. It’s just a different, and uncluttered way of seeing.
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