Since I learn to understand the world I always believe in two saying that, “everything happens for a reason’ and “never compunction the past because it made you who you are today”. I have felt that these statements have always been supportive and positive in my life. After studying determinism, these statements seem to epitomize the theory of cause and effects. Determinism is the doctrine that all events, including human choice and decisions, are necessarily determined by motives, which are regarded as external forces acting on the will. The opposing theory is libertarianism and is an older encouragement than its rival. Libertarians view that at least some human actions are free and depending on the situations people can exercise their free will.
William James an American philosopher and psychologist, defends a moderately reasonable style of libertarianism. He has faith in free will and entitlements we are free whenever we have a genuine choice. I find Mr. James analysis of determinism in Melanie Chaparian’s, “Am I free or determined?” to be substantial in the sense that libertarianism must be contemporary in the human condition but I found his theory a lot more flexible than the declarations by determinism. Libertarianism is more complex because it looks into the human thought process than a simple excuse such as, there is no free will because everything is pre-determined, which takes away any responsibility human should have for their activities. Libertarianism includes the principle of free will, therefore stating that we always have the power to choose our actions, regardless of the situations. Free will is the opposite of determined; this is the key hurdle among Libertarianism and Determinism. In James defense of free will, he argues that we can choose between possible actions and in order to prove that we chose our own action to prove that we have free will and we do what we feel that is right or wrong. People may choose any of the possible actions that will not include pre-determined. After making the decision we may perform action that will include the free will. He also claims that substantial evidences of human life must sufficiently be clarified in any balanced theory of human behavior. Determinism does not prove the feelings of freedom of regret that the human race experiences. Determinists believe the feeling of freedom is illusion and we have no control over our actions and decisions are already made for us and we have to obey them. Libertarianism conforms that we have the freedom of our free will. We make the choice and then make our own decision to follow in order to get success.
In conclusion, Personal experience is often referred to when studying libertarianism. This is why I find it to be the most balanced theory and more in depth and complex then determinism, which is quick to assume and passive towards human feelings. In relation to the statements I first mentioned, theorists such as Friedrich Nietzsche with his “will to power” ideology and William James’ moderate take on Libertarianism, along with the study of Determinism vs. Free Will, has changed my perspective on past choices and what, if anything actually happens for a specific reason. When I think of my statement now that I have feeling that I do have some freedom in my path of life to make decisions and the some of the decision I made in my past.
The large ant
In “The Large Ant” by Howard fast, Mr. Morgan kills the large ant because he is human. It is human nature to look at something out of the standard critically and bee scared of it. In the face of taking highly developing brainpower and high dimensions for reason, when the primal existence constitution is susceptible, the human default setting is to respond with violence without thinking. The ignorant and naturally violent wildlife of humanity will catch up with us and this will be the fate of humankind. We are inevitably doomed with the curse of fear and this is quite apparent in Mr. Morgan’s character in “The Large Ant”.
Every single human being has separate personalities that set them apart from other humans. If we look at the characteristics of human abroad, we think, feel, and act in the same nature in distinctive situations. If human feels the frightened enough that they feel threatened they just over react and they will kills what made them got scared. Mr. Morgan is normal, intelligent and not savage man, he still reacts that way. He thought that he was in danger even though he was not in danger, yet he still reacts as any human would do. That is related to the theory of B.F.Skinner. It’s all about how human behave on the situation and the outcome from that reaction. Human are often unaware why they react the way they do. They might be able to realize that is human nature, but still not to be able to grasp the concept of why. If we look back in the event he says “it was just their” and he kills it. Mr. Morgan cannot explain why he killed it. That shows the existential theory of Friedrich Nietzsche.
Therefore, humanity is fairly violent and in “The Large Ant” by Howard fast this is quite obvious. Mr. Morgan kills the ant because he is human. It’s a human nature to look at something and react on at and be scared of it and this is quite unfamiliar. When human is scared they will react and they will respond with violence without thinking. Soon enough thee ignorant and naturally violent environment off humanity will catch up with us and will be the doom of humankind. We certainly are hopeless with the curse of fear and this is quite apparent in Mr. Morgan’s character in “The Large Ant”.
Bibliography * Symbolism in. (n.d.). Scribd. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/53165209/Symbolism-in * Through the Eyes of Ky-Lee — Do you have free will or is your life determined?. (n.d.). Through the Eyes of Ky-Lee. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://kyleehanson.tumblr.com/post/3811127202/do-you-have-free-will-or-is-your-life-determined
* now., & &, G. c. (n.d.). Is Our Future Determined or Free?. RZIM Europe — Helping the thinker believe and the believer think. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.rzim.eu/is-our-future-determined-or-free
Bibliography: * Symbolism in. (n.d.). Scribd. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/53165209/Symbolism-in * Through the Eyes of Ky-Lee — Do you have free will or is your life determined?. (n.d.). Through the Eyes of Ky-Lee. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://kyleehanson.tumblr.com/post/3811127202/do-you-have-free-will-or-is-your-life-determined * now., & &, G. c. (n.d.). Is Our Future Determined or Free?. RZIM Europe — Helping the thinker believe and the believer think. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.rzim.eu/is-our-future-determined-or-free
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