Brent M. Jones - Connected Events Matter

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Free Will & Determinism

The concept of free will and determinism has been a philosophical debate. The question is whether we have control over our actions or if they are completely predetermined.

Those who believe in determinism argue that every event in the universe, including human actions, is predetermined by some outside force. This could be God, fate, or some other higher power. According to this view, we have no control over our actions because they are already predetermined. In other words, we are merely puppets controlled by some unseen force.

On the other hand, those who believe in freedom will argue that we control our actions. They think that we have the power to make choices and decisions that shape our lives. According to this view, our actions are not predetermined by any outside force. Instead, we can make our own choices and control our destinies.

Despite the ongoing debate, it is clear that both free will and determinism have their limitations. For example, those who believe in determinism may struggle to explain why humans have the capacity to make choices and decisions. If every action is predetermined, why do we have the power to make choices that defy fate? Similarly, those who believe in free will may struggle to explain why some events seem to be entirely beyond our control.

One way to reconcile these two perspectives is to view them as complementary rather than opposing. In other words, both free will and determinism may play a role in shaping our lives. While some events may be predetermined, we still have the power to make choices and decisions that influence our lives.

This view could suggest that predetermined events happen to allow us to make the choices we need to have to develop and grow, creating ourselves through our own choices