Causal Determinism
Philosophy Mini Paper 1
Causal determinism claims that our past, initial conditions are deterministicly conditioned by natural laws. Causal determinism deals with conditional predictability, which says that if I know all of my past/present material conditions and natural laws, then I can know my future causal path. Since we always base our choices on our highest desire, we can easily predict what choices one is going to make. It seems very plausible for casual determinism to be true. With causal determinism on one end of the spectrum, and existentialism on the opposite end, we have two conflicting philosophies of romance vs logic. It seems only logical for us to assume that indeed, we base our decisions based upon what we deeply, truly desire the most. The notion that we lack the capacity of free will, though, is daunting. To think that we have no control over our lives is really rather terrifying, so it becomes very apparent why someone would want to reject these theories. Causal determinism hasn't necessarily affected my views of life dramatically, but it helps keep everything into a conscious perspective. To live a meaningful life it's important to live consciously, that is to say, to escape the hypnotizing effects of living life monotonously. I believe that in order to accomplish a lucid life, it's important to retain existentialist aspects in daily life. To live life on a path without the sense of freedom seems like it would be similar to those nightmares we have in which we know the horrors that are about to happen, but can do nothing to prevent it. To live a robotic life is too easy. To throw everything into the wind and say that we have no control over our lives is too easy. To say humanity has an inability to control itself is far too pessimistic and a twisted way to live one's life. It's empowering to believe in one's ability to make something of their life, to truly
Causal determinism claims that our past, initial conditions are deterministicly conditioned by natural laws. Causal determinism deals with conditional predictability, which says that if I know all of my past/present material conditions and natural laws, then I can know my future causal path. Since we always base our choices on our highest desire, we can easily predict what choices one is going to make. It seems very plausible for casual determinism to be true. With causal determinism on one end of the spectrum, and existentialism on the opposite end, we have two conflicting philosophies of romance vs logic. It seems only logical for us to assume that indeed, we base our decisions based upon what we deeply, truly desire the most. The notion that we lack the capacity of free will, though, is daunting. To think that we have no control over our lives is really rather terrifying, so it becomes very apparent why someone would want to reject these theories. Causal determinism hasn't necessarily affected my views of life dramatically, but it helps keep everything into a conscious perspective. To live a meaningful life it's important to live consciously, that is to say, to escape the hypnotizing effects of living life monotonously. I believe that in order to accomplish a lucid life, it's important to retain existentialist aspects in daily life. To live life on a path without the sense of freedom seems like it would be similar to those nightmares we have in which we know the horrors that are about to happen, but can do nothing to prevent it. To live a robotic life is too easy. To throw everything into the wind and say that we have no control over our lives is too easy. To say humanity has an inability to control itself is far too pessimistic and a twisted way to live one's life. It's empowering to believe in one's ability to make something of their life, to truly