Destiny and Free Will
"There are good philosophical arguments for believing both [Free Will and Destiny], and for believing that the two ideas do not contradict each other.... But the strongest, most convincing evidence comes not from philosophers but from storytellers. Both of these ingredients...are always present in every successful story, every interesting story, every (and this is the point) story we find realistic, "true to life". A story without predestination means a story without an author, and that is a story without any authority. But a story without free will, a story about machines or falling raindrops, is not a story either...."
"We may not know how destiny and freedom can both be true, but we know that they must be present in true-to-life stories because they are both present in life."
Peter J. Kreeft, The Philosophy of Tolkien
"We may not know how destiny and freedom can both be true, but we know that they must be present in true-to-life stories because they are both present in life."
Peter J. Kreeft, The Philosophy of Tolkien
Labels: Kreeft, Philosophy, quotes, Tolkien
posted by Rich @ 12:15
3 Comments:
At 3:41 PM,
Rich said…
The whole quote from the book made it clear that the predestination or fate differed from life. But I'm trying to make the quotes as small as possible while still getting the author's point across. This generates more discussion anyway.
In a novel, you know the protagonist won't be killed on page 3 because there are 216 pages left. You don't have this same assurance in life. But how many times have you had an experience that seemingly came out of the blue only to realize, upon later reflection, that it HAD to turn out that way? Or your trusty Honda wouldn't start which made you just late enough that you missed getting into a very bad accident? Or some other such experience?
I guess when I get into the freak accident that ends my life, I'll look back on it from the other side and think, "Gee, I'm glad I died then and not two months later. I'd hate to have had to live through the dirty bombing of Indianapolis." (Tying back into one of the recent posts from your blog.)
At 12:05 PM,
Rich said…
I said, "Hi, I'm Rich." She said, "Cool! What's your name?"
A bolt out of the blue. I wasn't going to go to that party, but I'm glad I did. I've been glad for 14 years.
At 12:08 PM,
Rich said…
As for the dirty bombing of Indianapolis...
Our enemies in the cold war loved their children too, so no nukes were lobbed. Our current crop of enemies likes to strap explosives around their women and children and send them off to the bus stop.
A terrorist only has to be lucky once.
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