My last blog on timing takes me to another thought regarding fate or destiny vs. randomness vs. self-determination or free will. The former implies an external locus of control that the individual has no or little influence in altering. You might hear someone with this disposition saying, “Alas, so be it. It is God’s will”, or as my father would say – “que sera sera.” The middle suggests that the odds increase considerably when one conducts his or her life with deliberate caution and avoids situations of potential harm as Ben Stiller so competently portrayed his character in the movie Along Came Polly. The latter position is an individual who is determined to create their destiny and legacy in their own way, a la Lady Gaga or Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines fame.
A lesson I learned in post-graduate studies was related to transformational learning, i.e., enlightenment that redefines how one views the world or serves as a catalyst in a major life transition. Most learning is transactional, i.e., a “seller” (books, articles, teachers, online curriculum) “sells” to a “buyer”, aka the student or prospective learner. This type of learning can be informational, addendums to prior knowledge, or skill/performance preparation. A book written by Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed describes a population at large who are social-economically challenged agricultural illiterate labourers and led to believe their fate would remain as it was. Education reinforced this message via a method of “banking education” and a “culture of silence.” Banking education is where the teacher deposits information into the student’s account and the student withdraws enough to pass the near-future memorization test. There is no perceived need for critical thinking, therefore no dialogue. An underground effort to educate these people provided a groundswell of literacy that empowered them to take informed action against their oppressors and change their state and fate. This is a true example of transformational learning that helped people recognize their plight and move to another state of being…destiny to free will. As you might expect, this book is banned in totalitarian states.
In a recent movie titled The Adjustment Bureau starring Matt Damon the story line is that his life is scripted. He learns his fate and then goes rogue in attempting to change his predetermined destiny. The emotional pull of “love” was the driving force to execute free will.
So what causes us to predominantly favour one position over another? Could it be cultural nuances, genetic predispositions, ignorance, self-confidence, empowerment, oppression, religious doctrine, fear? How can a person justify paralysis in a situation that demands action? Or how can a person justify living life with calculated risks to avoid situations that could potentially cause harm? Or how can a person justify “going for it” regardless of the outcome? I suppose the degree of risk and reckless endangerment would be significant factors in that analysis. And then, what causes us to change from one position to another in a given situation?
This debatable thought has had sages of philosophy churn out their ideas on the matter for years – nature vs. nurture, free will vs. Karma, etc. As you can see by the general model below it has blossomed into a scientific journey that involves reality. What is reality? Aristotle, Socrates, et al. had some things to say about that.
My thought is that each life builds upon the moment to moment experiences we encounter or take in via sensory acquisition and that each situation thereafter reflects reactions to those experiences. My personal belief is that I have been blessed with the freedom to make choices that will either better or worsen my state. The more knowledge I have about the choice the greater chance my selection will improve my situation. Simultaneously, there are events in the environment that I cannot control and am subject to be in harm’s way if I don’t take action. Yet, there are limits to what I will or won’t do according to the risk of harm involved and other personal factors. In a nutshell, I believe the situation determines which philosophical camp anyone might fall into at a given time and that determination can be by self or by some other external force. It’s our choice, or is it?
Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/DeterminismXFreeWill.jpg
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