The False Dichotomy of Determinism

The deterministic “no free will” argument is a classic false dichotomy: we must either have absolute control over all things or we do not have free will. This is something that can only be propagated by a juvenile mind, one that lacks so much understanding of the world that it becomes comical. It is something a child would say to adults, and the adults would laugh and say “you will understand some day when you have grown up”.

It is very much possible to operate with free will in a world where events take place that are beyond your control. The propagators of determinism have not even considered that there are multiple free agents in the world, ones that make decisions that affect others. This is why we have the concept of responsibility: your chosen actions can affect other people. If determinism is true, then management, governance, justice, and responsibility are irrelevant concepts. Yet these concepts are the core of all societies, and billions of dollars are spent every year improving and expanding upon them.

Sure, you cannot control the parents you have, how rich they are, the dude that hit you with his car, or the tornado that tore through your home. However, the things in between those events are under your control. There are many people who experience unfortunate circumstances, but they manage to circumvent and overcome. There are those who have been subjected to unimaginable wickedness, and yet they choose to do good. There are those born in poverty, and yet they work hard to create a profitable life for themselves and those they love. And there are those who choose to do the opposite of all these.

This deterministic propaganda is designed to promote nihilism: to remove all hope and meaning from your life. If you can be convinced that there is no meaning or purpose in your life, and that you have no control, then you are available for being controlled. You as an individual have meaning and purpose. Go out into the world and use your free agency for the purpose of good: make the choice to overcome evil with good. When you discover that you are capable of this, then nothing will ever have control over you. This is the power they want to take from you.