The argument of free will is the embodiment of philosophical ideologies that allow individuals to wonder if they have control over their fate. While it is still unclear who or what is controlling someone’s actions, individuals need to recognize the importance of the ideology that surrounds the decision-making process of all individuals. Is one truly the master of their own decisions and express “free will”; determining their own destinies? Or are events in one’s life inevitable, as all actions/decisions are fixed upon a predetermined series of events known as “fate”? Even after centuries of debate, from Pierre-Simon Laplace to David Hume, philosophers still struggle to explain this conundrum, as there isn’t a specific guideline that distinguishes
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Despite the differences between the two ideologies, both concepts seek to clarify how individuals act and decide. While fate provides the explanation that everything in the universe is determined by a chain of events that was preplanned, free will takes a different approach, explaining how individuals possess the ability to make their own choices without the influence of outside factors. To solve the discordant relationship between these two ideologies, philosophers in the past theorized several approaches to explain how the decision-making process works; is it free will, is it fate or is it both that influence an individual’s actions? One of these perspectives would be the ideas that surround compatibilism. This interpretation attempts to show that “Freedom of action and Universal Determinism are compatible” (Green 130). This idea supports the belief that free will plays a role in the deterministic universe that we reside in. In simpler terms, compatibilism encourages the fact that neither free will or fate poses a threat to one another, as they have the capability to work together. Pretend that Professor Green didn’t teach Philosophy 1101 because of his decision to become an educator. Instead, Professor Green may have been an aspiring doctor in high school. But because of his low grades, he couldn’t get into the college that he desired. In this scenario, Professor Green chose to become an educator due to prior events that he couldn’t control. His rejection towards his dream college might’ve been due to the large pool of applications or the fact that other individuals had better grades than him. However, he found another subject that he enjoyed; in the form of philosophy and teaching. As a result, he decided to forget his past dream as he pursues his new passion. From this example, free will and fate are both influential in Professor Green’s upbringing.
Despite the differences between the two ideologies, both concepts seek to clarify how individuals act and decide. While fate provides the explanation that everything in the universe is determined by a chain of events that was preplanned, free will takes a different approach, explaining how individuals possess the ability to make their own choices without the influence of outside factors. To solve the discordant relationship between these two ideologies, philosophers in the past theorized several approaches to explain how the decision-making process works; is it free will, is it fate or is it both that influence an individual’s actions? One of these perspectives would be the ideas that surround compatibilism. This interpretation attempts to show that “Freedom of action and Universal Determinism are compatible” (Green 130). This idea supports the belief that free will plays a role in the deterministic universe that we reside in. In simpler terms, compatibilism encourages the fact that neither free will or fate poses a threat to one another, as they have the capability to work together. Pretend that Professor Green didn’t teach Philosophy 1101 because of his decision to become an educator. Instead, Professor Green may have been an aspiring doctor in high school. But because of his low grades, he couldn’t get into the college that he desired. In this scenario, Professor Green chose to become an educator due to prior events that he couldn’t control. His rejection towards his dream college might’ve been due to the large pool of applications or the fact that other individuals had better grades than him. However, he found another subject that he enjoyed; in the form of philosophy and teaching. As a result, he decided to forget his past dream as he pursues his new passion. From this example, free will and fate are both influential in Professor Green’s upbringing.