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Tuesday 31 May 2011

Life Is NOT Random Because...




OK, I know it’s odd to post a philosophical conundrum right after the American Idol rant, but that’s just how my mind works. This post is bit of brain-candy in the morning. So I’ll begin with the words that usually lead me places I did not expect to go on page, but am happy to end up there nevertheless. Of course, I’d be surprised if anyone dared go beyond this sentence.

So I was thinking… You know how there are always two camps: supporters of determinism and supporters of free will. Also, there are those who think life’s random (Chaos) and those who think it’s predetermined (Fatalism).

I like to think that it’s both, in both cases. In fantasy, when I am building a world of magic, for example, I always consider this in the design. In my first book, I have incorporated my own interpretation of the world, and even though I don’t usually say ‘This is how I see the world’, you can maybe read it between the lines.

See, I believe that there are some predetermined events. I do not, however, call them fate because that’s corny and unhelpful, really. I call them anchor events because they anchor us into the present moment, making us relive them in the future and sometimes even anticipate them before they have happened.

Everything else is choice. I firmly believe that we have a choice in how we live our lives and that definitely makes life meaningful to me, instead of a random string of events that unfold no matter what we do or where we go or who we meet.

I also believe it soul mates, and I used to only think it until it actually happened to me, but that’s a long, sad story. Suffice it to say that I have experienced that clicking moment with someone, and yet it was not love at first sight, but rather developed over a long period of time. Maybe that’s why it took me so long to get over him. However, I do believe that soulmates find us for a reason and that reason is to grow together, or grow apart, but grow nevertheless.

Anyway, so there is something out there I think proves the existence of these anchor events, and that’s Murphy’s law. I bet you did not see this coming. Think about it. We always choose to pinpoint some lucky event in our lives as meant to be, but what about the crappy ones? I, for one, believe that they have even bigger purpose and value in our lives, and those are to build our strength by teaching us lessons that will help us evolve and survive. While some people never learn those lessons, others  take them as gifts, one gift at a time, and grow spiritually and intellectually. Those are the people who have the most amazing stories.

I’m sure you can think of more than enough examples, so I’ll move on to my ‘life theory’ as it were. So if Murphy’s law is actually a law and it almost always holds true, which it does, it’s obvious that this is some kind of pattern in the string of our life events, which would have probably not existed if everything was random. Right? After all, how else can we explain the universal events in most people’s lives, like when love finds you when you’ve given up hope, or at the worst possible moment, like when you have to move out of the country, etc.

Moreover, I’d like to think that any theory and counter-theory are sisters in disguise. In my three years of studying Psychology, I learned one thing. No one camp has won over a debate in the science of people. Nature against Nurture. Realism against Relativism. Determinism against Free Will. Fate against Chaos. And I believe the reason for that is that both are meant to co-exist, touching shoulders and exchanging wisdom in guiding our lives.

And that applies to everything I’ve ever learned. Life is not completely random or completely predetermined. 


Life is in the middle.


(Yes, I like to consider myself a philosopher born in the wrong time, lol.)

5 comments:

Nicole Bataclan said...

Loved this post :) and these bits in particular:

"I do believe that soulmates find us for a reason and that reason is to grow together, or grow apart, but grow nevertheless."

"I believe the reason for that is that both are meant to co-exist, touching shoulders and exchanging wisdom in guiding our lives."

Thank you for sharing!

Unknown said...

Aww, I'm so glad you liked those bits. Soulmates are a wonderful, wonderful thing. Thanks for stopping by, Nicole. :)

Michael Thomas said...

Oh Lyn...your begging me to leave a ridiculously long comment. I am a bit of an arm-chair philosopher and I have given these ideas considerable thought. Tell you what, I will post something on my blog about it later this week.

I need to finishing picking my blogs for the versatility award anyway!

I will say that, regardless of one's belief or disbelief in the soul, it is a known fact that behavior is based in cognitive activity. That cognitive activity is based on fundamental chemical reactions that occur because of the presence, or lack there of, of certain stimuli. In that regard, it's like mixing baking soda and vinegar. Perhaps it's done with a purpose, perhaps not. (God/No God) Either way, the chemical reaction happens. In this regard, there is no "free will".

Take care,
Alex

Plamena Schmidt said...

Great post!

"crappy ones? I,..., believe that they have even bigger purpose and value in our lives, and those are to build our strength by teaching us lessons that will help us evolve and survive." So true! I usually try to keep this in mind, but sometimes it's hard to remember that it's just a lesson when you're going through something really difficult.

Unknown said...

@Alex: I feel a philosophical debate rising. :D I'm a psych grad, so I know the science and I've to agree with it. But.

What about emotion, intention. I mean, if it's all merely a 'chemical process', how do we have heroes and miracles? Yes, I know genetics can also account for those, but... I like to see some meaning, lol.

Hm, I guess you're better at debates anyway, so I'll just go back to philosophizing in the mornings by myself. :P

Btw, let me know when you post on the subject, I'd like to read it. ;)

@Plamena I know what you mean, sadly. Last time sth. really crappy happened in my life, I thought it was a Universal joke, that God was taking a piss, and that I didn't want to believe in love anymore. Basically, I say that now because I am over it, and see its value. :)