So What?

The debate about and the different aspects of determinism, free will, and compatibilism have changed the way I understand my own life in that I now have a better understanding of how to put words to what I believe when it comes to this matter.  In my own sense of vocation, it brings to question whether the important choices I make are my decisions, God’s decisions, or perhaps a mix of the two.

Assuming that free will is present in society, I think a large part of our behavior as individuals is based on whether we believe in free will, determinism, or compatibilism.  Our own opinions on this matter affect the choices that we make.  If we believe everything is pre-determined, we may be more likely to take risks and live freely and carelessly.  With a mindset that every choice has already been made, it may take some of the pressure off of life, and may make the way we live more dangerous at the same time.  If we believe purely in free choice, I think we are more likely to take our decisions to heart.  It may lead to well thought-out plans, as well as over-analyzed decisions.

I’ve maintained the mindset since learning the classic category vocabulary to put to my beliefs that compatibilism seems to be, in my opinion, the most balanced situation of the three.  There still exists a sense of moral responsibility for what we do, yet we can also rest assured that some things may be out of our control, and rest in the hands of God, biology, or the natural order of the world.

I’ve found that I’ve pretty much retained my views since the beginning of the semester, but I have a deeper understanding of them, and know how to communicate them now.

When it comes to determinism, I still most strongly resonate with theological determinism.  Looking back on some of the earlier readings, I remember a passage that described how some see God as a micromanager.  I believe that God knows every detail of my life, but His path is a little broader, and my free will interacts with it to create the course of my life.

When I think of free will in my life, I think of the bigger decisions.  Like the characters in The Adjustment Bureau, I obviously have control over small things, like choosing what coffee I want or deciding how to reply to an email.  But when it comes to choices like what I want my career to be, I think of that same free will-meets-determinism intersection.  Does God’s plan for me include a career as a musician?  I’ve clearly made the choice to pursue this path, which is my free will, and I think that where it leads could end up being theological determinism at play.

Looking back on the article that explained compatibilism, I am reminded of the poker example.  Life is the hand we are dealt.  It is pre-determined; we cannot change it.  But each of us have a choice in how we play our unique hand.  This analogy has made me wonder how I use the hand I’m given.  In The Adjustment Bureau, humanity had free will taken away because they used it to start wars and mass murders, yet it ends with hope that we could do better.  Do I use my free will to make choices for the betterment of my own life and for humanity as a whole?

In the end, this has been a fascinating topic to learn about.  In diving into my own opinions, as well as hearing the opinions of others, I feel that my mind has opened up to the different possibilities of fate and decision.  I think more about what’s behind the decisions I make, and whether I’m living day-to-day or for the long run.  It’s put a different perspective on my life and vocation as a whole, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to learn about and discuss it.