Six Month Three Day Analysis

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In the story Six Months Three Days by Charlie Jane Anders, Doug and Judy both possess psychic abilities; they are able to recall future events. Doug can only see one set of events, the future, what he says is the only way that events will unfold. On the other hand, Judy sees many futures. She believes that there are many ways the future may pass. Doug believes that Judy is seeing one true future, the one he sees, amidst many false ones. He can be called a determinist, one who believes that at any given moment there is exactly one physical future. Free will seems to be a mutually exclusive concept, which Judy believes in. Throughout their relationship they confront these clashing viewpoints. Judy believes that there is a chance that their relationship may end in six months and three days, whereas Doug thinks that it absolutely will. According to David Lewis, they can both be right, and should stop arguing. The relationship does in fact end in that allotted time, but not in the way it was foresaw. …show more content…
There is the argument that maybe Doug just misremembered. For the purposes of this essay, however, let’s assume that the arm/leg discrepancy was included with a deeper intent. Doug saw things occurring differently, which goes against determinism in this story. In including Judy’s choice to go “off script,” it is shown that free will has some part to play, maybe miniscule, but it can affect the turn of events. Compatibilism seems relevant to the situation, but in varying degrees. The idea of determinism and free will going hand in hand would not suffice. Compatibilism, in this situation would have to be altered slightly, that things are fated and one acts in accordance through their free will, but certain decisions can alter the course of action. This would correlate with the ends of the breakup, and the arm breaking would be an indicator of the influence of free

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