Yes we have free will, but i think fate can sometimes be real, i think whast meant to happen will happen, but we still have free will as we make it happen even if it is fate if that amkes sense. basically jsut cuz fate may exhist doesn't mean we can't do what we want, we still do yets its fate that we chose to do these things cuz of the person we are.

Yes but if it's fate that something will happen then it doesn't matter what we choose to do as it will happen anyway.

Fate and existance of a soul aren't mutually exclusive.

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by Vinnie
Yes but if it's fate that something will happen then it doesn't matter what we choose to do as it will happen anyway.

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Yes but we can choose how it happens and therefore have some free will

Fate: I don't believe in any kind of fate, but we don't have free will either. We are always constrained by society, so we never have true free will. However, i absolutely don't believe in any kind of pre-destiny or fate.

Soul: Don't believe in this either. I pretty much believe humans are just animals with big brains and a very egotistical view of their own species.

(Edited by Maffrew 29/10/2002 15:50)

I find it a fairly fruitless line of enquiry. What I do know is that to function as I do, I have to believe I have free will.

But if you're going to talk about it, then there being a future set out does not preclude the possibility that it is your choices that shaped it. They are not mutually exclusive concepts.

If everything is fate then isn't freewill just an illusion?

Example. Fate says that my toast will fall on the floor.

I can make the choice to carefully move the knife away slowly and indoing so knock the toast on the floor with my sleeve, or I could ignore the fact and just behave normally, the toast breaks and falls on the floor.
The point is, if it is fate that the toast falls on the floor then it doesn't matter what choice I make, therefore freewill would be an illusion.

Can't you tell I'm bored today.

But that doesn't mean your free will is an illusion - it just means the use of your will isn't enough to prevent the toast falling on the floor.

I believe that we are all put on this earth for a purpose so yes we have "fate" and our lives follow some path.

However, we can still choose how to live our life and follow the path we're on. We are being silently guided to take the right choice etc.

I believe in fate. What will be, will be. Que sera, sera. When I was just a little girl I asked my mother what will I be. Will I pretty? Will I be rich? ...... Errrrm, no wait, that's a Doris Day song isn't it.....

But that is what I believe.