Soft Determinism, Hard Determinism, Necessitarianism, Fatalism...Huh?

[Mudhammam]

I agree with you rasetsu but even if the "self" is "nothing" more than determined physical processes (i.e. brain states), it doesn't compute to me that I've surrendered meaning to nihilism. As I tried to make the point in my little "rant" at you from another thread dealing with determinism/free will (and I apologize if I came across as lashing out), does the fact that we're composed of atoms that literally make up everything in the universe make me feel synonymous with rocks? Of course not. As long as we can "feel" that we're able to do otherwise and possess a sense that we "should," moral responsibility seems unscathed. Brain states are complex so who's to say what my next move will be? "Me."