Karma Theory, Determinism, Fatalism and Freedom of Will
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Life with Augustine
Life with Augustine ...a course in his spirit and guidance for daily living By Edmond A. Maher ii Life with Augustine © 2002 Augustinian Press Australia Sydney, Australia. Acknowledgements: The author wishes to acknowledge and thank the following people: ► the Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, Australia, for support- ing this project, with special mention of Pat Fahey osa, Kevin Burman osa, Pat Codd osa and Peter Jones osa ► Laurence Mooney osa for assistance in editing ► Michael Morahan osa for formatting this 2nd Edition ► John Coles, Peter Gagan, Dr. Frank McGrath fms (Brisbane CEO), Benet Fonck ofm, Peter Keogh sfo for sharing their vast experience in adult education ► John Rotelle osa, for granting us permission to use his English translation of Tarcisius van Bavel’s work Augustine (full bibliography within) and for his scholarly advice Megan Atkins for her formatting suggestions in the 1st Edition, that have carried over into this the 2nd ► those generous people who have completed the 1st Edition and suggested valuable improvements, especially Kath Neehouse and friends at Villanova College, Brisbane Foreword 1 Dear Participant Saint Augustine of Hippo is a figure in our history who has appealed to the curiosity and imagination of many generations. He is well known for being both sinner and saint, for being a bishop yet also a fellow pilgrim on the journey to God. One of the most popular and attractive persons across many centuries, his influence on the church has continued to our current day. He is also renowned for his influ- ence in philosophy and psychology and even (in an indirect way) art, music and architecture. -
Indeterminism in Physics and Intuitionistic Mathematics
Indeterminism in Physics and Intuitionistic Mathematics Nicolas Gisin Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland (Dated: November 5, 2020) Most physics theories are deterministic, with the notable exception of quantum mechanics which, however, comes plagued by the so-called measurement problem. This state of affairs might well be due to the inability of standard mathematics to “speak” of indeterminism, its inability to present us a worldview in which new information is created as time passes. In such a case, scientific determinism would only be an illusion due to the timeless mathematical language scientists use. To investigate this possibility it is necessary to develop an alternative mathematical language that is both powerful enough to allow scientists to compute predictions and compatible with indeterminism and the passage of time. We argue that intuitionistic mathematics provides such a language and we illustrate it in simple terms. I. INTRODUCTION I have always been amazed by the huge difficulties that my fellow physicists seem to encounter when con- templating indeterminism and the highly sophisticated Physicists are not used to thinking of the world as in- circumlocutions they are ready to swallow to avoid the determinate and its evolution as indeterministic. New- straightforward conclusion that physics does not neces- ton’s equations, like Maxwell’s and Schr¨odinger’s equa- sarily present us a deterministic worldview. But even tions, are (partial) differential equations describing the more surprising to me is the attitude of most philoso- continuous evolution of the initial condition as a func- phers, especially philosophers of science. Indeed, most tion of a parameter identified with time. -
Wittgenstein on Freedom of the Will: Not Determinism, Yet Not Indeterminism
Wittgenstein on Freedom of the Will: Not Determinism, Yet Not Indeterminism Thomas Nadelhoffer This is a prepublication draft. This version is being revised for resubmission to a journal. Abstract Since the publication of Wittgenstein’s Lectures on Freedom of the Will, his remarks about free will and determinism have received very little attention. Insofar as these lectures give us an opportunity to see him at work on a traditional—and seemingly intractable—philosophical problem and given the voluminous secondary literature written about nearly every other facet of Wittgenstein’s life and philosophy, this neglect is both surprising and unfortunate. Perhaps these lectures have not attracted much attention because they are available to us only in the form of a single student’s notes (Yorick Smythies). Or perhaps it is because, as one Wittgenstein scholar put it, the lectures represent only “cursory reflections” that “are themselves uncompelling." (Glock 1996: 390) Either way, my goal is to show that Wittgenstein’s views about freedom of the will merit closer attention. All of these arguments might look as if I wanted to argue for the freedom of the will or against it. But I don't want to. --Ludwig Wittgenstein, Lectures on Freedom of the Will Since the publication of Wittgenstein’s Lectures on Freedom of the Will,1 his remarks from these lectures about free will and determinism have received very little attention.2 Insofar as these lectures give us an opportunity to see him at work on a traditional—and seemingly intractable— philosophical problem and given the voluminous secondary literature written about nearly every 1 Wittgenstein’s “Lectures on Freedom of the Will” will be abbreviated as LFW 1993 in this paper (see bibliography) since I am using the version reprinted in Philosophical Occasions (1993). -
Is the Cosmos Random?
IS THE RANDOM? COSMOS QUANTUM PHYSICS Einstein’s assertion that God does not play dice with the universe has been misinterpreted By George Musser Few of Albert Einstein’s sayings have been as widely quot- ed as his remark that God does not play dice with the universe. People have naturally taken his quip as proof that he was dogmatically opposed to quantum mechanics, which views randomness as a built-in feature of the physical world. When a radioactive nucleus decays, it does so sponta- neously; no rule will tell you when or why. When a particle of light strikes a half-silvered mirror, it either reflects off it or passes through; the out- come is open until the moment it occurs. You do not need to visit a labora- tory to see these processes: lots of Web sites display streams of random digits generated by Geiger counters or quantum optics. Being unpredict- able even in principle, such numbers are ideal for cryptography, statistics and online poker. Einstein, so the standard tale goes, refused to accept that some things are indeterministic—they just happen, and there is not a darned thing anyone can do to figure out why. Almost alone among his peers, he clung to the clockwork universe of classical physics, ticking mechanistically, each moment dictating the next. The dice-playing line became emblemat- ic of the B side of his life: the tragedy of a revolutionary turned reaction- ary who upended physics with relativity theory but was, as Niels Bohr put it, “out to lunch” on quantum theory. -
The Thought of St. Augustine Churchman 104/4 1990
The Thought of St. Augustine Churchman 104/4 1990 Rod Garner St. Augustine, also known as Aurelius Augustinus, was born in AD 354 and died in 430 at Hippo, North Africa, in a region now better known as modern Algeria. He was raised in a town called Thagaste. There he suffered the twin misfortunes of the early death of his father, Patrick, and an impoverished education which did little to foster his knowledge and understanding. His mother, Monica, influenced him deeply and remained his best friend until her death in 388. Three years later (and against his wishes) Augustine was ordained presbyter for a small congregation at the busy seaport of Hippo Regius, forty five miles from his birthplace. His reluctance could not mask his outstanding abilities and it was not long before he was consecrated bishop of the province. For thirty four years his episcopal duties engaged him in a constant round of preaching, administration, travel and the care of his people. Despite the demands on his time, and the various controversies which embroiled him as a champion of orthodoxy, he never ceased to be a thinker and scholar. He wrote extensively and his surviving writings exceed those of any other ancient author. His vast output includes one hundred and thirteen books and treatises, over two hundred letters, and more than five hundred sermons. Although a citizen of the ancient world whose outlook was shaped by the cultures of Greece and Rome, Augustine is in important respects our contemporary. His influence has proved pervasive, affecting the way we think about the human condition and the meaning of the word ‘God’. -
What Is Philosophy.Pdf
I N T R O D U C T I O N What Is Philosophy? CHAPTER 1 The Task of Philosophy CHAPTER OBJECTIVES Reflection—thinking things over—. [is] the beginning of philosophy.1 In this chapter we will address the following questions: N What Does “Philosophy” Mean? N Why Do We Need Philosophy? N What Are the Traditional Branches of Philosophy? N Is There a Basic Method of Philo- sophical Thinking? N How May Philosophy Be Used? N Is Philosophy of Education Useful? N What Is Happening in Philosophy Today? The Meanings Each of us has a philos- “having” and “doing”—cannot be treated en- ophy, even though we tirely independent of each other, for if we did of Philosophy may not be aware of not have a philosophy in the formal, personal it. We all have some sense, then we could not do a philosophy in the ideas concerning physical objects, our fellow critical, reflective sense. persons, the meaning of life, death, God, right Having a philosophy, however, is not suffi- and wrong, beauty and ugliness, and the like. Of cient for doing philosophy. A genuine philo- course, these ideas are acquired in a variety sophical attitude is searching and critical; it is of ways, and they may be vague and confused. open-minded and tolerant—willing to look at all We are continuously engaged, especially during sides of an issue without prejudice. To philoso- the early years of our lives, in acquiring views phize is not merely to read and know philoso- and attitudes from our family, from friends, and phy; there are skills of argumentation to be mas- from various other individuals and groups. -
PA As a Stochastic Process
Anti-Essentialism in Public Administration Conference A decentering tendency has undermined the foundations of public administration theory Fort Lauderdale, FL March 2-3, 2007 Theorizing Public Administration as a Stochastic Process Catherine Horiuchi University of San Francisco Working Paper: Not for attribution or citation with author’s permission Abstract The capacity of information networks to capture and manipulate ever-larger streams of globally acquired, real-time data accelerates fragmentation of traditional public administration protocols, away from managing stable states toward temporary and permeable framing of governmental and corporate interests. Technologies simultaneously provide historic opportunities for dissent, individualism, and small-d democratic movements. Intermittent, overlapping governance – characterized by private government, small wars, state failures, and opportunistic shifts of power and capital from public stewardship to private parties – results in ideological or pragmatic retreats from and progressions of institutional boundaries. Ephemeral balances rather than negotiated long-term settlements demark the edges of public and private. This fluidity of realms increasingly affects the duration and allocation of administrative responsibilities between formerly firmly edged divisions of local, state, and national governments. The assumption of a static state in public administration theory does not hold. Government becomes a metaphorical fluid, an eddy that retains its shape more or less, long enough to become an object of analysis and action. The new assumption of administrative fluidity invokes a world of measurement estimating impacts of partially ordered and partially stochastic events. Sensemaking derives from sophisticated evaluative and probabilistic analyses. Traditional construction of the field with its assumption of durable governmental operations may no longer be a best-fit theory for multi-layered, ephemeral states. -
TAO TAO/ Fate in Confucian Virtue Ethics and Its Contemporary
FATE IN CONFUCIAN VIRTUE ETHICS AND ITS CONTEMPORARY SIGNIFICANCE Tao Tao Abstract:Based on the concept of fate in Confucian virtue ethics, this paper discussed three questions successively: (1) What is inevitable or unchangeable? (2)Facing fate, what we can do?(3)Are we able to achieve happiness? Or what are the relations between virtues, external goods, and happiness? To the first question, this paper mentioned four aspects: the natural world and its laws, the natural life process, the ethical nature of human beings, and the conventional environment. To the second, this paper analyzed four actions in Confucianism: to understand fate, to go along with fate, to respect fate, and to rejoice in accepting fate. To the third, this paper distinguished two kinds of happiness: one with external goods, the other with virtues, and only the latter one is real and self-sufficient. The final conclusion is that: the gentleman in Confucianism who knows to go along with and respect fate, will accept the arrangement or consequence of actions with tranquility, or even a joyful mind; meanwhile, he will pursue virtues for entire lifetime, because he knows virtues or the Way are a person’s real end or happiness. By nature, or by fate, we are able to or must be moral. Life and death are governed by fate, wealth and honor are determined by Heaven. (Analects 12.5) 1 Undoubtedly, we are all powerless to solve specific problems or change circumstances burdened by unfavorable conditions. Whatever has happened to us has happened; no matter good or bad, we cannot change or ignore it. -
Fatalistic Beliefs
SCRIPTA INSTITUTI DONNERIANI ABOENSIS II FATALISTIC BELIEFS IN RELIGION, FOLKLORE, AND LITERATURE Papers read at the Symposium on Fatalistic Beliefs held at Åbo on the 7th-9th of September, 1964 Edited by HELMER RINGGREN ALMQVIST & WIKSELL STOCKHOLM Fatalistic beliefs Fatalistic beliefs in Religion, Folklore, and Literature Papers read at the Symposium on Fatalistic Beliefs held at Åbo on the 7th-9th of September, 1964 Edited by HELMER RINGGREN ALMQVIST & WIKSELL STOCKHOLM Printed in Sweden by Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri AB, Uppsala 1967 Contents HELMER RINGGREN The Problem of Fatalism 7 CARL-MARTIN EDSMAN Divine and Demonic Necessity in the Oresteia 19 JAN BERGMAN "I Overcome Fate, Fate Harkens to Me" 35 HELMER RINGGREN Islamic Fatalism 52 ÅKE V. STRÖM Scandinavian Belief in Fate 63 MATTI KUUSI Fatalistic Traits in Finnish Proverbs 89 ROLF WILH. BREDNICH Die osteuropäischen Volkssagen vom vorherbestimmten Schicksal 97 CARL GUSTAV DIEHL Instances of Belief in Fate in South India '18 GUNNAR SJÖHOLM Observations on the Chinese Ideas of Fate 126 IVAR PAULSON Die Schicksalsseele 133 HALFDAN SIIGER Fate in the Religion of the Lepchas 15c OLOF PETTERSSON Divinity and Destiny in the Religion of Ruanda-Urundi 158 MOGENS BRØNDSTED The Transformations of the Concept of Fate in Literature 172 K. ROB. V. WIKMAN C. Linnæus' Ideas Concerning Retribution and Fate 179 GUSTAV HENNINGSEN Fatalism in Systematic Aspect and Fatalism in its Functional Context 183 The Problem of Fatalism By HELMER RINGGREN It seems that the hardest task in the study of religion is to define its object, in other words, to determine what religion is. A new work in the history, psychology or sociology of religion almost inevitably begins with a new and original definition of the concept of religion. -
Fatalism, Beliefs, and Behaviors During the Covid-19 Pandemic
NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES FATALISM, BELIEFS, AND BEHAVIORS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Jesper Akesson Sam Ashworth-Hayes Robert Hahn Robert D. Metcalfe Itzhak Rasooly Working Paper 27245 http://www.nber.org/papers/w27245 NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 May 2020, Revised September 2021 We would like to thank Simge Andi, Luigi Butera, Rena Conti, Zoe Cullen, Keith Ericson, John Friedman, Tal Gross, Nikhil Kalyanpur, Rebecca Koomen, John List, Mario Macis, Paulina Olivia, Ricardo Perez-Truglia, Jim Rebitzer, Cass Sunstein, Dmitry Taubinsky and Jasmine Theilgaard for helpful suggestions. We thank Senan Hogan-Hennessey and Manuel Monti- Nussbaum for their valuable research assistance. Any opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the institutions with which they are affiliated. AEA Registry No. AEARCTR-0005775. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Correspondence: [email protected] The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research. NBER working papers are circulated for discussion and comment purposes. They have not been peer- reviewed or been subject to the review by the NBER Board of Directors that accompanies official NBER publications. © 2020 by Jesper Akesson, Sam Ashworth-Hayes, Robert Hahn, Robert D. Metcalfe, and Itzhak Rasooly. All rights reserved. Short sections of text, not to exceed two paragraphs, may be quoted without explicit permission provided that full credit, including © notice, is given to the source. -
Quantum Mechanics and Free Will: Counter−Arguments
Quantum mechanics and free will: counter−arguments Martín López−Corredoira Astronomisches Institut der Universitaet Basel, Venusstrasse 7, CH−4102−Binningen, Switzerland E−mail: [email protected] Abstract Since quantum mechanics (QM) was formulated, many voices have claimed this to be the basis of free will in the human beings. Basically, they argue that free will is possible because there is an ontological indeterminism in the natural laws, and that the mind is responsible for the wave function collapse of matter, which leads to a choice among the different possibilities for the body. However, I defend the opposite thesis, that free will cannot be defended in terms of QM. First, because indeterminism does not imply free will, it is merely a necessary condition but not enough to defend it. Second, because all considerations about an autonomous mind sending orders to the body is against our scientific knowledge about human beings; in particular, neither neurological nor evolutionary theory can admit dualism. The quantum theory of measurement can be interpreted without the intervention of human minds, but other fields of science cannot contemplate the mentalist scenario, so it is concluded that QM has nothing to say about the mind or free will, and its scientific explanation is more related to biology than to physics. A fatalistic or materialist view, which denies the possibility of a free will, makes much more sense in scientific terms. 1. Definition of free will First of all, we must clarify the meaning of the term to which we refer: Free will: a source totally detached from matter (detached from nature) which is the origin (cause) of options, thoughts, feelings,.. -
Nietzsche's Ethic
Nietzsche’s Ethic: Virtues for All and None? A thesis submitted To Kent State University in partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Daniel Robinson May 2015 ©Copyright All rights reserved Except for previously published materials Thesis written by Daniel Robinson B.A., University of South Alabama, 2012 M.A., Kent State University, 2015 Approved by Linda Williams, Associate Professor, Masters Advisor Deborah Barnbaum, Chair, Department of Philosophy James Blank, Associate Dean, Dean of Arts and Sciences Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………….……………......01 Chapter I. Solomon’s Nietzsche: A Summary………………….………….....04 Introduction…………………………………..………...………….04 Concern for Character …………………………………………….05 Passion as the Root to the Virtues…………………………..……..15 Building Nietzsche’s Ethic: Virtues for All……………….….…...22 II. Nietzsche on Ethics……………………………………...……..….32 Introduction………………………………………………………..32 Custom & Natural Morality……………………………………….35 Master-type and Slave-type Moralities…………………………...41 Slave-type’s Universalization ……………………………………48 Nietzsche on Virtue and Virtues …………………….……………52 III. Ethical Contortions: Fitting Nietzsche into Virtue Ethics……...…59 Introduction…………………………………………………….…59 Against a Prescriptive Interpretation……………………….….….60 Redefining Virtue and Ethics……………………………….….…64 Nietzsche’s Individualism …………………………………..…....74 Relevant Bibliography…………………………………………………………….83 i Introduction A year ago I read Robert Solomon’s Living with Nietzsche: What the Great “Immoralist” Has to Teach Us for the first time with the hopes of finding a greater understanding of both Nietzsche and virtue ethics. I was undecided on whether Nietzsche was a virtue ethicist, but I was considering it, simply because of how frequently he mentions virtue and because Aristotle was one of the few major philosophers I knew of that Nietzsche didn’t routinely, vehemently reject. The beginning and middle of Solomon’s text made me very hopeful for his conclusion.