fandomhigh | Destiny & Free Will, Week IV [Monday, Period 4]

Ghanima had ~~handwavily~~ sent out a notice to meet down by the pond again, since it seemed almost criminal to have class indoors during the summer.

"Good afternoon!" she said cheerily. "Hopefully you all aren't too tired from your move back to the dorms, as we have lots to discuss today."

"The question of free will is if, and in what sense, rational agents exercise control over their actions and decisions. Addressing this question requires understanding the relationship between freedom and cause, and determining whether the laws of nature are causally deterministic. Sounds fun, hrm?"

"The principle of free will has religious, ethical, and scientific implications. For example, in the religious realm, free will may imply that an omnipotent divinity does not assert its power over individual will and choices. In the ethical sense, it may imply that individuals can be held morally accountable for their actions. And last, but far from least, in the scientific arena it may imply that the actions of the body, including the brain and the mind, are not wholly determined by physical causality. Needless to say, the question of free will has been a central issue since the beginning of philosophical thought."

"Society generally holds people responsible for their actions, if law and order prevail, and will say that they deserve praise or blame for what they do." Ghanima shook her head, mouth pinched in distaste. "However, many believe that moral responsibility requires free will. If you have no free will, then how can you be held responsible for anything? Thus, another important issue in the debate on free will is whether individuals are ever morally responsible for their actions—and, if so, in what sense."

"There is an example that those of you native to this planet and era may be familiar with," she said, walking forward to being writing on the board. "St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans addresses the question of moral responsibility as follows: "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" If you follow Paul's line of reasoning, individuals can still be dishonoured for their acts even though those acts were ultimately completely determined by God."

"Of course, no matter the rules one chooses to abide by, there are almost always exceptions," Ghanima stated. "One exception to the assumption that moral culpability lies in either individual character or freely willed acts is in cases where the insanity defense—or its corollary, diminished responsibility—can be used to argue that a guilty deed was not the product of a guilty mind. In such cases, the legal systems of most Western societies assume that the person is in some way not at fault, because his actions were a consequence of abnormal brain functions."

"Now, then, let's ponder." Ghanima leaned against the wall to survey the room. "Moral responsibility, madness, and free will. Go."

[OCD UP]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Look at all the handouts Ghanima has so thoughtfully provided! Which school of thought is closest to your own? Which one rankles you most? Why?

Western Philosophies | The Science of Free Will | Eastern Philosophies | Other Theologies

Edited 2009-07-27 04:07 (UTC)

Karla raised a hand. "What is this god that everyone talks about and why would he, she, or it have anything to do with our actions, never mind taking free will away. Why would it care? And even assuming that it can, what gives it the right to do so?"

"Gods are divine beings with powers beyond our comprehension," Agnes answered. "They may or may not have created the universe, and they enjoy interfering in the lives of us mere mortals whenever they get bored."

The gods Agnes was familiar with were somewhat... different than ones other people might be familiar with.

Karla thought about that. "I don't know if we have anything like that in my world," she said. "I guess maybe...the Darkness? That might be the closest we come to such an entity. But it's not like we worship it. And it certainly doesn't interfere."

"It still weirds me out that on your world Darkness is a GOOD thing. Most places, it's decidedly... not. Except for people who think it's all cool and goth-y."

"Goth-y?" Karla asked. "I still don't see why the Darkness should be so awful. It just is."

Karla's world seemed so opposite from this one. The Darkness, the abyss, and Hell were all important parts of their world and none of those things had a negative connotation.

"It's scary," Agnes pointed out. "You can't see what's in it, and that creates fear back in the animal part of the brain."

"That's physical darkness," Karla said. "Ours is much more..." she groped for a good word. Metaphysical didn't really seem to apply. Neither did spiritual. "...not physical," she finished lamely. "Maybe more like the darkness you're cradled in when you're inside your mother's womb?"

Way to get poetic with your symbolism there, Karla. Even if it may not be entirely apt.

Warm, wet, and funny-smelling?

Agnes did see what Karla meant, she thought. "Most other places, we call that Light," she explained. "And, yeah. Wrap that up and stuff it inside a lecherous, arrogant anthropomorphic personification, and you've got a god."

"The Light?" Karla asked, turning that concept over in her mind. "Huh. Odd. We call ours the Darkness because dark is so much stronger than light. A Black Jewel outclasses a White Jewel so much it isn't even funny."

"Magic jewels?" Agnes asked. "All the ones I've ever heard of on my world glow."

"Mine glows a bit." Karla pulled out her Sapphire pendant, a teardrop-shaped Jewel on a chain of white gold, the Sapphire itself as large as Karla's thumb, down to the first knuckle. Rather than glowing, it sparkled with an inner fire. "My Birthright Jewel," she explained. "I won't get my Jewel of rank till after I make my offering to the Darkness. All members of the Blood can do basic Craft, but it is the Jewel that lets us reach our full potential. It is a measure of our strength and power, and a reservoir for the same."

"It doesn't always do that. But it's got a bit more energy today." She tucked it carefully back inside her shirt. Karla was always extra-careful with it after the first three days of her moon-time. Those days reminded her what was waiting for her at home and just how much was at stake.

Destiny & Free Will, Week IV [Monday, Period 4]

Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought

Re: Class Discussion: Schools of Thought