Essay on Fate & Free Will: Philosophers & Theologians Debate on Coexistence

The philosophical ideology of fate and free will has, over the years, been subject to debates with no generally accepted conclusions. Owing to the diverse philosophical ideologies expressed by different philosophers, theologians have also come out to share their insight with the intent of resolving the issue and ultimately having a generally accepted conclusion. Despite the theologians' efforts, some philosophers, on the one hand, claim that fate and free will coexist, implying that while a person's future and destiny is predetermined, he or she is not inhibited from making choices. However, it is important that such persons are aware and conscious of the choices and decisions they make since they directly take part in the actualization of their predetermined destiny (Strong 5). On the other hand, some philosophers continue to believe that fate and free will are contradictory and, as such, cannot coexist. In other words, the idea that a person's destiny is predetermined rules out the individual's free will, which further implies that one does not have control over his or her life. Such philosophers, therefore, claim that, considering the fact that one has the right and freedom to make choices and decisions affecting their lives, fate is non-existent. Just like Morpheus, this essay argues that while the outcome of the future is predetermined, one is free to make choices and decisions in life, which in this case directly or indirectly affect their destiny.

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According to Frankfurt, a person's free will is largely influenced by the principle of alternate possibilities. The latter acknowledges that regardless of the actions one pursues, he or she is only morally responsible for their action if and only if they could have done otherwise (Frankfurt 829). In other terms, Frankfurt claims that in the absence of alternatives, free will is inhibited, and one cannot consider themselves free in such a situation. However, Frankfurt clarifies that one is also morally responsible for their actions if they freely choose their pursued actions and are not in any way coerced into pursuing the actions. With quite a lot of options to choose from, it is evident that even with a predetermined destiny, one is still in control of their life. However, the realization of their destiny solely depends on the action, choices, and decisions of the respective entity. Those that act morally responsible positively work towards the actualization of their predetermined destiny while those that act immorally veer off from the course to their future.

In other terms, fate and free will go hand in hand, thus requiring persons to act in a manner that complements their destiny. Important to note, although our destinies are predetermined, free will comes in handy for individuals to choose the opportunities they want to seize and, more importantly, because fate avails more than one option (Ayer 110). However, the availed options are not necessarily guaranteed hence the need to make a choice. Overall, Frankfurt, through the principle of alternate possibilities, confirms that fate and free will coexist. Also, Frankfurt demonstrates that while fate is predetermined, one is free to make choices that consequently influence the realization of destiny. Therefore, Morpheus claims that while a person's future is predetermined, they are free to make choices and decisions, an aspect that implies that they have full control over their lives.

Unlike Neo, Morpheus argues that a person's free will plays a significant role in determining the outcome of their fate. The availability of free will implies that one is entirely in control of their life hence the need to understand the good and the wrong things, which directly influence the outcome of the predetermined destiny. Typically, the determinism of human nature alludes that fate exists, considering the fact that for every event one is involved in and that which requires choices and decisions, there is an event that one can or fail to understand. Further, the universe is constantly sending one signs of things he or she should do, especially when in a challenging or dangerous situation. The feeling that speaks to us when in such moments is acknowledged as the gut feeling. More often than not, people ignore their intuition, a mistake that affects them later chiefly because they made a mistake in the choices they made.

The human body is connected to nature and signaled on the things it should pursue through its intuitive gut feeling. In such a case, one is given the freedom to choose the path and actions he or she needs to pursue an aspect that therefore implies that regardless of the action they choose, they are morally responsible. Also, despite the predetermined destiny and future, it is an individual's responsibility to actualize it through their action and decisions they make. In other words, a person's destiny is directly proportional to the decisions he or she makes, implying that, indeed, fate and free will coexist. Also, the fact that a person's destiny is directly proportional to their actions implies that one is entirely in control of their life (Frankfurt 424). Therefore, Morpheus is right for believing that his life and that of his friends are predetermined and, more importantly, acknowledge that their choices and decisions play a major role in realizing their destiny.

Chisholm argues that humans are responsible for their actions despite the existence of a predetermined destiny. In his argument, Chisholm claims that while another action or agent indirectly influences a person's activities and events, the outcome of their action solely depends on the choices they make (Chisholm 392). In other terms, Chisholm, just like Frankfurt, believes that the universe avails multiple options for one to choose from, an aspect that makes them morally responsible for their action. Chisholm also acknowledges the existence of fate through his deterministic view of the human action, where he claims that a person's actions are subject to an external agent. Despite the influence of the external agent, Chisholm states that the performance of an act depends on the person's interpretation of their intuition, which then determines the action one opts to pursue. However, Chisholm notes that in the absence of options, human freedom and self are inhibited from making the right decisions and choices. In other terms, humans are only responsible for actions that are subject to their power, including the availability of options to choose from before acting. Therefore, considering the availability of options in the day to day life, it is evident that humans are free and fully responsible for their actions, which in this case directly contributes to the influence of the external agent. Therefore, while each entity has a predetermined future, the availability of options and alternatives makes them free to control their destiny.

Conclusion

Ultimately, fate and free are inseparable, and together they shape and determine the outcome of a person's destiny. Fate is guided through the human intuition that most, if not all, people ignore, thus exposing themselves to serious issues and consequences in life. As stated earlier, fate avails multiple options for one to choose from, an aspect that means that despite the predetermined destiny, one is responsible for their actions. It is, therefore, important that one follows their intuition and act accordingly to influence their destiny positively. Also, it is important to evaluate situations before acting to avoid instances that could negatively influence the predetermined destiny. In other words, since gate and free coexist, it is important that one looks for signs that the universe is constantly sending to ensure that they act in accordance with the expectations of their destiny. Also, it is important that one follows their passion, which is critical to fulfilling their purpose in life. Ultimately, one should have faith in the external agent while acting morally as a way to connect their actions, choices, and decisions to their intuition. Overall, each individual is responsible for their actions despite the existence of a predetermined future. In other words, fate and free will coexist.

Works Cited

Ayer, A.J. "Freedom and Necessity". Accessed 10 May 2020.

Chisholm, Roderick M. Freedom, Determinism, And Responsibility. Accessed 10 May 2020.

Frankfurt, Harry. "Freedom of the will and the concept of a person". Journal Of Philosophy, vol 68, no. 1, 1971, pp. 422-424., Accessed 10 May 2020.

Frankfurt, Harry G. "Alternate Possibilities And Moral Responsibility". The Journal Of Philosophy, vol 66, no. 23, 1969, p. 829. Philosophy Documentation Center, doi:10.2307/2023833. Accessed 10 May 2020.

Strong, C. A. "Fate and Free Will". The Journal Of Philosophy, Psychology And Scientific Methods, vol 15, no. 1, 1918, p. 5. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/2940572. Accessed 10 May 2020.