Fatalism or Determinism?

[franziska]

Recently, in English class the debate of fatalism vs. determinism came up. It sounds like something more for a philosophy class, but we were doing Shakespeare, so it vaguely makes sense.

To get back on topic, I was just wondering what you people here thought. Do you believe in fatalism (your fate is predetermined, you can't do anything to change it, etc) or determinism (you decide your own destiny)?

I like my friend's spider web theory... you start in the centre, and the circumstances of your borth and that kind of thing decide the path you start at first. But, from that path, you can go to other threads on the web, until you end at a final destination. However, you cannot escape the web.

[BrightStar]

I believe in that there is fate, but if you try hard enough, you can change it.

So I believe in Fate AND Free Will.

[killerkat]

i don't really do the whole predetermined fate thing.just more like, for every action theres a reaction when something happens theres a result of that action.. ....

(that's really confusing, somehow this is like trying to decribe my recent salvia trips......hmmmmm...........)

well....i quess i'll just leave it simple, no fate for me!

[CorporateGoth]

I abhor the concept of fatalism. If you don't think that you can determine your own future, why try to change anything. Don't get me wrong, I guess that some things are fated (medical history, etc...), and I think if some things are not changed an outcome is obvious. However, I think that has to do with lack of action, not fate.

[Nightingale]

I would follow the spiderweb theory, which is basically determinism. The only thing which doesn't work with the spiderweb is that you cannot go back; there are few situations where, once you've taken a specific path, you can change and undo everytrhing that has happened. A spiderweb with constantly changing threads in all directions would be my favourite ideal.