(March 11, 2026 at 12:21 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: Does determinism require the success of its subjects in order to be true?
No.
Quote:What if the atoms in your life line up to make you a stone-cold fuck-up?
Then you're stone-cold fuck-up. Stone-could fuck-up who might think that it is his choices that lead him to such stance or who might think that universe determined it for him. It's irrelevant because it was determined either way.
Quote:Couldn't determinism lead people into believing and acting upon stupid shit?
It could. Determinism only means that whatever you think or act isn't done by your choice (even if you think differently). It is determined that you held opinion x (or opinion y) but it's also determined that tomorrow you will hold opinion y (or continue holding opinion x). At least such is my take on it.
Quote:Full disclosure: I'm agnostic on the question.
I don't think that free will is anything but excuse of religious types for their deity non-intervention so I suppose I'm closer to determinism spectra of things. I don't subscribe to it all the way though. In my view people have agency but are influenced by myriad of factors like cultural capital, upbringing or even money or lack of them.
The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology, of the phantom of God. As long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth.
Mikhail Bakunin.
Mikhail Bakunin.
