- Now, before I start, I'm going to go into a little elaboration as to what each one - 'freewill' and 'determinism' means. 'Freewill' essentially means that regardless of external and/or internal physical influence, we...as human beings, are capable of arriving at our own decisions. 'Determinism' means that there's no such thing as independent thought and all activities are derived from internal/external physical stimuli.
- As an individual whom appends science, it would seem logical to support the ideology that we are products of our environment. In truth, as our brains are contrived of physical matter, it would be logical to conclude that all things can be assumed to derive from some sort of physical occurence. This is not entirely untrue because we see this everyday...those who suffer from hunger are compelled to find something to eat - in animals as in humans.
- Environmentally speaking, an individual will establish thier perception and way of interacting with the world in general in accordance to how they were taught, raised and what they directly observed via experience. This can be seen amongst the innumerous cultures both past and present so this seems to reinforce 'determinism' - we are what we are raised and taught to believe. However...
- Determinism does -NOT- explain unusual oddities such as 'altruism' and it most certainly does not explain such aberrant pathological horrors such as 'suicide'. Alas, some stoically believe that 'suicide' is, if not entirely, deterministic. I am astounded...-HOW- could something which requires an individual drive to terminate thier own life -EVER- be ascribed as 'deterministic' and how does 'suicide' -NOT- prove the existance of 'freewill'?!?
- If we are going to assume that suicide is 'deterministic', we have to abide the governing factors which establish determinism...that being - a physical stimuli must be present in order to incur the physical drive to self-terminate since determinism does not allow for independent thought and suicide can be founded upon physical stimuli alone...
- However, stimuli...in and of itself, MUST be -PRESENT- in order to be regarded pertaining to the target subject. The -ABSENCE- of said stimuli does -NOT- allow it to be regarded as a variable in psychological/scientific studies. Therefore, regarding the majority of all suicides...almost all have been committed when the individual was -ALONE-...-WHERE- was the physical stimuli to incur self-termination?!?
- Answer: it wasn't present, because it wasn't there...hence, there was no physical stimuli and suicide is not, inherently, physically deterministic. There is something that lingers beyond the 'physical stimuli' that incurs the individual to self-terminate. In abusive family situations, the majority of those who commit suicide wait until the abusive family members leave...with the absence of abusive family members, the individual should via determinism (...due to the lack of abusive physical stimuli...), desire to live...-NOT- self-terminate.
- Certainly, suicide may be considered to be a viable option to avoid -FUTURE- suffering, if said individual lives in an environment where suffering is prevalent...but that would allude to forethought and/or anticipation and that is not viable conceptually via determinism. However, that is the general opinion shared amongst a majority of all suicides cases in general - the belief that committing suicide was not just a means, but the -ONLY- means to avoid future suffering - acting upon an idea, -NOT- physical stimuli.
- The body, inherently, strives to function and live until a certain age whereas the body's ability to rejuvenate slows down unto eventual failure. This is elaborated under the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics via entropy...however, that does not change the fact that the body, in and of itself, contains no capacity to immediately self-terminate...the body, in truth, has remarkable means to preserve itself and it's functionality. The immune system is a prime example regarding thusly.
- If our own bodies, when they are healthy, strive to rejuvenate and sustain itself...how could there be any physical stimuli that would incur intantaneously cell-death on a macroscale? Some unfathomable, elusive 'kamakazi-killswitch' apparently exists?...lurking out there, somewhere, with everyone's name on it that induces the desire to self-terminate? Even in a 'physically deterministic world', this simply would not be true and to append such an ideology is being intellectually dishonest...not to mention absurd.
- I don't see any courses being taught in our public, private or college institutions regarding how to self-terminate...yet, suicide has been committed in such varied and unusual ways that it could almost be ascribed as 'artistic' by the way some have elected to 'shuffle off thier mortal coil'. They didn't just self-terminate in the most immediate and efficient means possible (...which would be logical in accordance to the First Law of Thermodynamics regarding the conservation of energy...), they 'exited stage left' with a bow and a flourish! They even 'go out with a -BANG-!', yet in a purely 'physically deterministic world'...this would be improbable.
- So...is life 'deterministic'? To a point, yes, regarding basic human necessites. This has been generally accepted ever since Maslow concieved the 'hierarchy of needs'...but it is not -ENTIRELY- deterministic. There -IS- freewill because despite all the means and measures our physical bodies have at thier disposal to sustain itself and remain alive - we, as human beings, have the means and the capablility to completely override our own physical bodies inherent functionality to live and self-terminate -BY CHOICE-...
- This is accomplished by violating the second law of thermodynamics, hastening the natural progression of cellular entropy from micro to macro, instantaneously. Human beings simply do not have to wait for our bodies to eventually fail due to the onset of old age and in a 'physically-deterministic world', we would only abide by the natural laws. In short, suicide would never become an option if life were strictly governed via determinism...but as we clearly know - such is not the case.
- The fully-functioning and healthy body does not perish instantaneously, even an ailing and aged body takes a significant amount of time to cease functioning...those who elect to commit suicide, willfully and intentionally, -KILL IT-...they, in short, murder themselves. It is lamentable and should not be encouraged, but that remains to be seen in a society that strives to reject responsibility and accountability for thier own actions...appending strawman arguements like 'determinism' instead of being honest, rational human beings.
- We have, inherent by our birthright, our lives and by what grace we have been granted the priviledge of these aforementioned conditions...I leave to philosophers. What I do know is that with this life, I have not only the will...but the responsibility and accountability of this life and everything that I elect to do with it. This is what the Founding Fathers of the United States of America decreed as being SELF-EVIDENT...and let none dare assume to take those most sovereign of rights - your life and your responsibility...from you.
- You -ARE- free and -YOU- have the WILL to do whatever it is you append contemplating. You can even elect to no longer participate and depart: that is -YOUR CHOICE-...understand that, accept that because you have been granted that burden regardless...and it is up to you and you alone what you wish to do with it. The highest authority you have in your life is yourself - your destiny, your life...your very future...lies in -YOUR- hands, yours and no other. Stand up for your rights and shoulder your responsibilities with honour, integrity and excellence.
"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams, Founding Father of the United States.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." - Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4,1777.
"Live free or die." - General John Stark, Hero of the Battles of Bennington and Bunker Hill; Motto of the State of New Hampshire.
"Give me Liberty, or Give me Death!" - Patrick Henry from his Virginia Convention speech, March 23, 1775.
Peace be with you,
The American Deist,
Mark D. Little.
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