The Individual

[thebeautyofrevolution]

Is each person an individual who has complete controll, or are we all working for something. That leads to the question of an omnipotent being and creation. But when we put that aside, I ask your opinion on the idea of us all going for a final destination.

[Janus]

So you want to debate philosophy or religion?

[thebeautyofrevolution]

Philosify. Let us seperate religion from this.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Moved to Philosophy.

[elmo sez]

Final destination ? who knows id like to think that there si some sort of point like some kind of enlightenment or evolution like in 2001 a space odyssey.

[Dooga Aetrus Blackrazor]

If I understand you correctly, your question is two-fold.

A. Do we have free will?
B. If we do/do not have free will, are we freely/unfreely working towards a end goal - a goal that all of humanity shares?

For the first question, I would point you to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism

Personally, I believe are actions are caused by actions we choose beforehand, and I think those actions are determined by actions before them. Where these actions begin, for the individual, is debatable, but it is certainly at a non-cognitive stage. From a larger perspective, the universe interacts in such ways that continue forever because our universe is infinite.

However, this leaves us with the illusion of free will. Our senses have allowed us to experience the ability to choose (or so it would seem) while also allowing us to discover that we really cannot choose. If identical circumstances arose, we would make the exact same choice. This is contrary to the compatibilism of Hume, who I do admire for refuting much rationalist hogwash, but I disagree with his assumption that true probability exists aside from being a testing method to deal with a lack of variables. I am currently trying to find more information on this matter whenever I get the chance.

For your second question, I am inclined to say no. However, I would not rule out the possibility.

[thebeautyofrevolution]

Originally posted by Dooga Aetrus [email protected] 20 2006, 12:21 AM
are we freely/unfreely working towards a end goal - a goal that all of humanity shares?
If we are to look at this final goal, what would such a goal be? Enlightenment might be a good word. How would this be achieved? By the seemingly endless stream of events happening as we type? Or instead by a finite moment in our infinite universe that changes us forever(however long that is)?

[Dooga Aetrus Blackrazor]

Originally posted by thebeautyofrevolution+Jul 20 2006, 06:33 AM--> (thebeautyofrevolution @ Jul 20 2006, 06:33 AM)
Dooga Aetrus [email protected] 20 2006, 12:21 AM
are we freely/unfreely working towards a end goal - a goal that all of humanity shares?
If we are to look at this final goal, what would such a goal be? Enlightenment might be a good word. How would this be achieved? By the seemingly endless stream of events happening as we type? Or instead by a finite moment in our infinite universe that changes us forever(however long that is)? [/b]
If such a goal were to exist, which I highly doubt it would, then a multitude of events would be the cause.

[blake 3:17]

Is each person an individual who has complete controll, or are we all working for something. That leads to the question of an omnipotent being and creation. But when we put that aside, I ask your opinion on the idea of us all going for a final destination.

I feel old old old old old saying this, but the question is less end/goal for a person, than what we do/refract -- Fantasies of power tend towards masculinist apocalyptycism that undoes the very bases of any Leftism.

[Mr.Mojo]

Basically the goal of humanity and the Left for that matter is to unite the World under one banner, that is what we should be working for, anything less is not worth our efforts. If we continue preaching 'individualism' the world will fall victim to war and this will prove to be our undoing. The only hope of humanity is uniting under one banner, but his will probably not happen as the Capitalist pigs want to keep us seperated. One united world is the only way forward as it would eliminate the threat of Nuclear or conventional war ever again. This in my opinion is the calling of humanity to act together and drop the perception of the individual and work together for a greater good.....one nation, one planet.