Stuff on determinism for you to address
Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyShea
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by dictionary
Cause:
the reason or motive for some human action
a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the producer of an effect
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Lessans
The words cause and compel are the perception of an improper or fallacious relation because in order to be developed and have meaning it was absolutely necessary that the expression ‘free will’ be born as their opposite
|
No, not absolutely necessary at all, except in theology...which is the only field where the term free will is defended and probably originated.
As I have stated, I personally don't think "free will" even has any use or meaning outside of a theological context
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Lessans
Nothing causes man to build cities, develop scientific achievements, write books, compose music, go to war, argue and fight, commit terrible crimes, pray to God, for these things are mankind already at a particular stage of his development, just as children were sacrificed at an earlier stage.
|
Nonsense. The complex interplay between emotions, thought processes, desires, and needs cause (motivate) people to do the things they do.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Lessans
These activities or motions are the natural entelechy of man who is always developing, correcting his mistakes, and moving in the direction of greater satisfaction by better removing the dissatisfaction of the moment, which is a normal compulsion of his nature over which he has absolutely no control.
|
So this compulsion cannot also be correctly called the cause (reason or motivation)? This seems to contradict his point that people are not caused to do what they do.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Lessans
Looking back in hindsight allows man to evaluate his progress and make corrections when necessary since he is always learning from previous experience.
|
Adding knowledge gained from experiences of course informs the motivational factors, the reasons, that people do things. This learning is also part of the antecedent state of affairs that can be correctly termed as causal.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Lessans
for the word ‘cause’, like choice and past, is very misleading as it implies that something other than man himself is responsible for his actions.
|
No, it doesn't imply anything of the sort
No incompatibility here. |
Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyShea
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Lessans
According to this definition we are not given a choice
because we are being caused to do what we do by a previous event or
circumstance. But I know for a fact that nothing can make me do
what I make up my mind not to do — just as you mentioned a
moment ago. If I don’t want to do something, nothing, not
environment, heredity, or anything else you care to throw in can make
me do it because over this I have mathematical control.
|
The previous event s, circumstance s, environment, genetics etc. (antecedent states of affairs) are the cause (reason for, motivation for, producer of) the desire to NOT do something, just as they are the cause of desires to do something.
So again, I don't see how Lessans ideas are incompatible with various other forms of determinism |
Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyShea
Quote:
It is implied that there is no will, or agency, if all our decisions are made for us by previous events.
If determinism states that something caused us to do what we did, that would mean something other than ourselves is responsible for our actions
|
There are multiple definitions of and schools of thought on determinism, and you are focusing on only one and concluding that all are incompatible with Lessans.
That's fallacious and unsound reasoning, and irrational argumentation.
Quote:
|
They can change "the state of affairs" as new experiences and information come in. That's why the standard definition is not adequate because it implies there is no going off the fixed course that has been set for us since we were born.
|
Is this, or is this not a standard definition?
Determinism: The philosophical doctrine that every state of affairs, including every human event, act, and decision is the inevitable consequence of antecedent states of affairs.
This definitions allows for going off the fixed course because the state of affairs are in a constant state of flux. |