-Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy (London, 1979), BOOK ONE, PART 1, Chapter 1, p. 32.
(We have the subjective experience of choosing even if objectively our actions are destined.)
"'As Whitehead pointed out, the medieval idea of one almighty God was important to the growth of science, by inculcating the notion of lawfulness in nature.'"
-Poul Anderson, "Delenda Est" IN Anderson, Time Patrol (Riverdale, NY, December 2010), pp. 173-228 AT 4, p. 197.
We have quoted Anderson's Manse Everard quoting Whitehead before so I thought that it was important also to quote Russell.
In Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, Destiny and God coexist.
14 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Except I am not satisfied with what Lord Russell said about "Fate" being one of the sources for a true science arising in the West. That "Fate" seems too vague and ill-defined to be the source of anything.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
It seems very definite and concrete to me. If everything is predestined, then it is not random or arbitrary.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And that is another thing where we will have to agree to disagree.
Ad astra! Sean
Though in fact human history -is- random and arbitrary; however, this makes most human beings profoundly uneasy, as if the ground was threatening to shift beneath their feet at any moment.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree, human history is chaotic and unpredictable. Except Catholics believe God has intervened, and continues to intervene, n that history.
Ad astra! Sean
God, as omnipotent, would have providential control over all of history.
Short answer; Nobody knows.
Chance is a thing, of course, in the physical universe as we know it; fate or luck? Nope.
Kaor, Dave!
Well, I believe that we do have some knowledge, granted to us thru revelation. But that won't convince those who disbelieve in Christianity.
Ad astra! Sean
Religion may bring faith, or even belief, or philosophy, or even - to use an old-fashioned word - morality.
But knowledge? Nope.
Kaor, Dave!
But faith in something that A believes is true will still be considered knowledge by A even if B does not agree.
Ad astra! Sean
Sometimes the dice run in your favor. This is known as "luck". Sometimes they run against you. This is known as "bad luck".
The fact that something is -probable- does not mean it will actually -happen- in any particular instance. Violently unlikely things happen all the time. The dice average out over time, not over any one throw -- or sometimes, over a dozen throws.
And in human affairs, "luck" (as in the dice falling one way or another) is enormously important.
That's why 'laws of history' are nonsense.
Chance is a thing.
"Luck" is not. As has been said, it's a smile on a dog.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree. Which is why I seldom gamble!
Well, Dominic Flandry was an expert at poker, so he knew how to play well enough to come out ahead more often than not.
Ad astra! Sean
DS: when you roll four sixes in a row, what would you call it?
Luck is a -descriptive- term. The dice have no memory; everyone but the deeply stupid know that.
But sometimes you roll four sixes in a row, and we need a term for that.
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