Determinism is that there is a reason for everything that happens to us. I cannot fully give into that kind of preplanned fate because I, as a human, have free will. Every moment is a choice, and if I make the wrong choice, I believe I will have a chance to make the right choice, with unlimited chances but learning a valuable lesson if I continue to make the same wrong choice too many times. Unfortunately, there are people good at manipulating us into making wrong choices, who I eliminate from my life immediately, now.

Accordingly, we propose belief in social determinism (BSD) as a complementary component of essentialism, which relies on the belief that a person’s essential character is shaped by social factors (e.g., upbringing, social background).[1] Another thing I notice in our society is peer pressure. Our friends can easily talk us into doing something we should not. There is often one person in our peer group that is the leader, sometimes narcissistic and controlling. We do not get in with the right people, including me, and I am still paying a high price for trusting people, which has made me less social nowadays, especially with whom I interact with online. Evil people can show up in life in person, and that has happened to me, also.

Then there is a common thought of how our lives are determined and controlled by God. Some philosophers attempt to use the same arguments that are held to establish that free will and responsibility are compatible with the discovery of determinism to show that, if God exists, then free will and responsibility are compatible with divine predetermination in a way that implies that God could predetermine exactly how creatures exercise their freedom in ways for which they are responsible.[2] It is easy to be naïve and ignorant and accept what your religion teaches you, even though your preacher is a smooth talker, who went to divinity school. We are so out of touch about who God is, and that deity is internal. The bible states “The Kingdom of God is Within You” in Luke 17:21. Yet we still believe God is an omnipotent external being, who is a father figure, and an argument of feminists. Many will find little to question in such a position as the deterministic worldview is the dominant cosmological position of modern times.[3] In other words, the world’s most common belief is that God determines our lives, and to believe otherwise is evil.

There are philosophical objections to casual determinism (alleged implications of necessitarianism in general, of necessitarianism on account of the appeal to divination, of laziness, and of a surrender of moral responsibility).[4] We tend to go with the masses without thinking about the intellectual debate of religious determinism. We accept what we believe without delving into the question of why. It may have also passed down generationally, especially with the belief of our parents. Back in my day, I rebelled even after going through a Catholic educational system and had to learn the hard way. I am paying for my sins yet continually taught on a medieval level at some institutions. Of course, I lost many years but still seeking truth today from a higher academic level.

Theological determinism is the view that God determines every event that occurs in the history of the world. While there is much debate about which prominent historical figures were theological determinists, St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, and Gottfried Leibniz.[5] Yes, greats like Aquinas and Augustine, Saints of the Catholic Church strongly argued in the determinism of God. Today parents are more open and allowing children to believe what they want instead of the rules, regulations, and dogma from years ago still practiced with limitations today. I do not question people much anymore but accept that my current belief and curiosity is wrong in someone’s eyes and mind. I will continue to learn as much as I can as a forever student.

[1] Rangel, Ulrike, and Johannes Keller. “Essentialism Goes Social: Belief in Social Determinism as a Component of Psychological Essentialism.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 100, no. 6, 2011, pp. 1056. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/essentialism-goes-social-belief-determinism-as/docview/876079704/se-2

[2] Cai, James. “Free Will and the Problem of Evil.” Religious Studies, vol. 40, no. 4, 2004, pp. 437-456. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/free-will-problem-evil/docview/197236065/se-2

[3] “Determinism versus creativity: Which way for social work?” Social work, vol. 38, no. 2, 1993, pp. 127. ProQuest; eLibrary, https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/215268020?accountid=41449

[4] Brown, Eric. “Topics in Stoic Philosophy / Determinism and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy.” Journal of the History of Philosophy, vol. 38, no. 3, 2000, pp. 432. ProQuest; eLibrary, https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/210613393?accountid=41449

[5] Vicens, Leigh. “Theological Determinism” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. University of Tennessee at Martin. https://iep.utm.edu/theological-determinism/#:~:text=Theological%20determinism%20is%20the%20view,figures%20were%20theological%20determinists%2C%20St

My references accessed 13 Feb 2025.