Determinism is Oppression

One of the great questions in philosophy is whether our fates are predetermined or whether we can decide upon our own destiny. Because concepts such as fate and destiny are a bit vague and hard to define, we often frame the discussion in terms of determinism versus nondeterminism.

A deterministic universe is one where everything is predetermined. It’s a universe where all interaction is grounded in logical terms of action and reaction. It’s a universe in which theoretically speaking, everything could be explained by science. In such a universe, our fates and destinies would be implicitly determined at birth (or even before). And in such a universe, free will must be an illusion.

After all, how could free will be anything but an illusion if all our choices are predetermined? The idea of choice itself would be an illusion too.

But the Philosophy of Balance sides with the idea of nondeterminism instead, which opens up the opposite position: We do have free will, and we do have the freedom and choice to decide upon our own destinies.

And the nice thing is, the idea of nondeterminism is also supported by science. Quantum mechanics are probabilistic in nature, rather than deterministic.

But what are the implications of this?

Free will and self-actualisation are highly privileged gifts. If we believe we can decide upon our own futures — and I believe we can — we must also recognise the great responsibility that comes with such choices. After all, for every choice we make, we may take away a choice from someone else.

Consider this: If I eat a cookie, no one else gets to eat that same cookie. This cookie is now deprived from anyone else’s destiny. And as long as it’s merely a cookie this may not be a big deal, but it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see the implications on politics and to understand why they are so highly contested.

But as I said, quantum mechanics are probabilistic in nature. If the cookie is given to me, I may be the most probable person to eat it, but I still have a choice to give it to someone else.

Societies are wrought with probabilities. The country where we are born, the neighbourhood that we grow up in, and even the colour of our skin are all factors that influence the probabilities that help shape our lives and ultimately our destinies.

We may have free will, but the thing is, the universe is under no obligation to respect our choices, and depending upon circumstance, many people find that the probabilities are stacked against them.

The goal of the Philosophy of Balance is not merely to bring balance to our personal lives, but it is also to bring balance to society and Life as a whole, starting from ourselves. So that those who are privileged enough to self-actualise can also do so in a responsible manner.

That doesn’t mean we always need to make the right choice out of fear of stepping on someone else’s toes, but it does imply being considerate and respectful of one another.

And one of the great ways that we can learn to be considerate is by letting go of the idea that we need to realise our dreams. Of course we may build towards our dreams, but we should not be so strong-minded to believe that our dreams are more worthy than those of others.

If we are too strong-minded about determining our own future, we partially determine that of others too. And if people feel that the universe is deterministic or that the odds are stacked against them, it may be because we make it so. Determinism is oppression. And the best way to ease away from determinism is by relaxing ourselves.

We don’t always need to be right. We don’t always need to be afraid of what others will do. Confidence doesn’t come from fear. It comes from the realisation that our kindness has diffused the will of others to wish us harm.

Personally, I am both an idealist as well as a pragmatic. That may sound contradictory, but that’s what I believe to be the path of balance. Because if I believe only in idealism, I become an oppressor through my judgement. But if I only believe in pragmatism I lose the will to improve the status quo.

This is why I follow the Philosophy of Balance. I don’t know what fate has in store for me, but I do feel it’s in my destiny to keep writing about it.