Quote:
Originally Posted by Kael
Additionally, it cannot be true that we both our "options open" and "must move in the direction of greatest satisfaction." There can only be one option that leads to "greatest satisfaction," and if we must always choose that option then we do not, in fact, have options.
Unless, of course, the option that leads to "greatest satisfaction" is only defined after the fact, as whatever option we did actually choose. Which, funnily enough, is exactly what Lessans does.
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You're absolutely right. We don't really have an option because we must move in this direction (which is why our will is not free), but we have the capability to contemplate in order to decide which option is preferable. We are not robots in the sense of being pre-programmed, which everyone is understandably against. This is why the mere mention of determinism gets a negative reaction. Who wants to think of themselves as a computer program that acts out what it's been programmed to do? How can anyone take credit for their destiny if they play no part in determining whether their life is a success or a failure?
Determinism also implies that people are not responsible for their actions which gets people up in arms. If they killed someone, all they would have to say is "I am not responsible because my will is not free," and they wouldn't have to pay for what they did. But this the opposite of what occurs, and I'll explain why if people give me the platform to speak. I am waiting to continue, but this time I'm not even going to even attempt this discussion if people are going to jump at me after every single post.