"Destiny" in the Modern World
I recently sat through a fascinating film entitled “What the Bleep Do I Know?” The subject of the documentary was quantum physics and what this scientific discipline can tell us about what “reality” is and what it isn’t.
As I understood the film, it seemed to be saying that if we correctly understood quantum physics and its implications we would be able to control events more successfully. We could “choose” our lives & make them what we want them to be. In other words, we would be able to “choose out destiny.”
I found this film to be fascinating not only for what it seemed to offer the modern world – but for what it clearly refuted about the ancient world. The Greeks & Romans believed in a number of Gods & Goddesses who arranged the lives of mortals according to their own whims. Mortals were not in control of events, but could only react to events as they occurred. The Ancients viewed life as being determined by “fate” or “destiny.” They understood these concepts to preclude what the modern world calls “free choice.”
Muslims, Jews, & Christians would view destiny or fate as “the perfect will of god.” But these three offshoots of the “faith of Abraham” all insist that humans have the power to follow or resist the Will of God.
What fascinated me the most about this film is that several people presenting their viewpoints seemed to be totally ignorant of the dictionary meaning of “destiny” & “fate.” The dictionary declares that both fate & destiny are the predetermined succession of events.
Therefore, the concept of “choosing one’s destiny” betrays a lack of understanding of the oxy-moronic state that by definition contradicts itself. You cannot “choose” something that is already chosen for you.
I am convinced that quantum physics, correctly understood, helps modern humanity to correctly understand life – but not if it’s interpreted as a means to help us make “better choices.” The choosing has been done for us, “thank God” (or whoever is responsible for directing our existence).
More on this later.
As I understood the film, it seemed to be saying that if we correctly understood quantum physics and its implications we would be able to control events more successfully. We could “choose” our lives & make them what we want them to be. In other words, we would be able to “choose out destiny.”
I found this film to be fascinating not only for what it seemed to offer the modern world – but for what it clearly refuted about the ancient world. The Greeks & Romans believed in a number of Gods & Goddesses who arranged the lives of mortals according to their own whims. Mortals were not in control of events, but could only react to events as they occurred. The Ancients viewed life as being determined by “fate” or “destiny.” They understood these concepts to preclude what the modern world calls “free choice.”
Muslims, Jews, & Christians would view destiny or fate as “the perfect will of god.” But these three offshoots of the “faith of Abraham” all insist that humans have the power to follow or resist the Will of God.
What fascinated me the most about this film is that several people presenting their viewpoints seemed to be totally ignorant of the dictionary meaning of “destiny” & “fate.” The dictionary declares that both fate & destiny are the predetermined succession of events.
Therefore, the concept of “choosing one’s destiny” betrays a lack of understanding of the oxy-moronic state that by definition contradicts itself. You cannot “choose” something that is already chosen for you.
I am convinced that quantum physics, correctly understood, helps modern humanity to correctly understand life – but not if it’s interpreted as a means to help us make “better choices.” The choosing has been done for us, “thank God” (or whoever is responsible for directing our existence).
posted by Old Timer at 3:14 PM
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