Navigating the Nexus of Destiny and Evil: Perspectives on Free Will, Determinism, and Theodicy

Regarding the authorship of destiny, the debate between free will and determinism has been ongoing for centuries. From a deterministic standpoint, one might argue that our actions and choices are predetermined by a chain of cause and effect, whether that be biological, environmental, or societal factors. In contrast, proponents of free will argue that individuals have the power to make choices independently of external influences, implying a certain degree of authorship over their own destinies. In philosophical terms, compatibilism attempts to reconcile these seemingly opposing viewpoints by suggesting that free will and determinism are not mutually exclusive. According to compatibilists, individuals can have free will even within a deterministic framework, as long as their actions are in accordance with their desires and motivations.

However, I think that while I possess the capacity to make choices and exert control over my lives to some extent, I am also subject to various external influences that can shape my decisions and outcomes. For example, when I was 20, I decided to leave my hometown and work in a city far away from it. This is one of the big decisions in my life. Although it rely mostly on my character, this decision still depends heavily on the situation when I made it. Therefore, I believe that we do have part of the ownership of our destiny, but not 100%. We can gain our chance to win, but there are always some random part throughout our life.

When it comes to the existence of evil, various religious and philosophical perspectives offer explanations. For those who believe in a benevolent deity, the existence of evil poses a significant theological challenge. Theodicy attempts to address this issue by exploring why a supposedly omnipotent and omnibenevolent God would permit evil to exist in the world. One explanation is that evil exists as a necessary counterpart to good, allowing individuals to exercise free will and make moral choices. Without the existence of evil, the concept of good would lose its meaning or significance. Additionally, some religious traditions propose that evil is a consequence of human disobedience or sin, resulting in a fallen state of the world.

However, these explanations may not fully satisfy everyone, and the problem of evil remains a complex and deeply philosophical question. Some critics argue that the presence of gratuitous or seemingly unjustified suffering undermines the notion of a perfectly benevolent and omnipotent deity, leading to skepticism or rejection of traditional religious beliefs. 

Reference

Maddox, E. (2024, January 24). Free will versus determinism - The clash of philosophical titans. Mental Health Center. https://www.mentalhealthcenter.org/free-will-versus-determinism/ 

Tooley, M. (2015, March 3). The problem of evil. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/evil/