Post by chandlerklebs on Nov 12, 2014 12:08:04 GMT
A free will fatalist is someone who gives up all hope of creating a better world because they belief that humans have a free will and that this magical ability of "free choice" is absolute, omnipotent, or an "inalienable god given right". They believe that it cannot be defeated with relevance, truth, or goodness. Because of this, they have no "choice" but to wait around for other people to change their mind. I have some news for them, it doesn't work that way. If someone changes, there is a reason for it. Something caused them to question themselves about what they are doing.
Fatalism is often confused with determinism. This is actually a mistake. People who understand determinism will find a way of changing the things they don't like. In fact, they do this every day. When they are hungry, they know that eating will make them feel better. Similarly, when someone's life is in danger, they automatically do whatever it takes to avoid being killed. The entire purpose of self-defense is to protect our own life and avoid pain. This is something that most of us do unconsciously. We have no choice in the matter.
In the same way, when someone else is in danger, we protect them. If you love someone, you cannot stand by and watch them suffer. You must do something about it. This desire we feel to make those we love healthy and happy is the only force strong enough to change the world. If love exists, then choice cannot coexist with it. Understanding this is the first step to understanding why free will is an illusion that fools many of us if we lack compassion or are ignorant of the causes for the choices that we falsely think we are making.
I am convinced that understanding determinism/causality provides a better system for reducing pain and increasing happiness. Happy people are less likely to do things that hurt others. I think our concept for morality is based on pleasure and pain and does not require a belief that we freely choose our thoughts and actions. Free Will is a special type of fatalism that says events are not predetermined but that we are still powerless to change them because of the free will of others. To me, this type of fatalism is worse than any that might be implied by determinism.
Fatalism is often confused with determinism. This is actually a mistake. People who understand determinism will find a way of changing the things they don't like. In fact, they do this every day. When they are hungry, they know that eating will make them feel better. Similarly, when someone's life is in danger, they automatically do whatever it takes to avoid being killed. The entire purpose of self-defense is to protect our own life and avoid pain. This is something that most of us do unconsciously. We have no choice in the matter.
In the same way, when someone else is in danger, we protect them. If you love someone, you cannot stand by and watch them suffer. You must do something about it. This desire we feel to make those we love healthy and happy is the only force strong enough to change the world. If love exists, then choice cannot coexist with it. Understanding this is the first step to understanding why free will is an illusion that fools many of us if we lack compassion or are ignorant of the causes for the choices that we falsely think we are making.
I am convinced that understanding determinism/causality provides a better system for reducing pain and increasing happiness. Happy people are less likely to do things that hurt others. I think our concept for morality is based on pleasure and pain and does not require a belief that we freely choose our thoughts and actions. Free Will is a special type of fatalism that says events are not predetermined but that we are still powerless to change them because of the free will of others. To me, this type of fatalism is worse than any that might be implied by determinism.
