Deermsm erss free wll Deermsm is the philosophical position that claims everything in the world has a preceding cause. It says that in order to understand the world we need to identify the causes. Modern sciences—especially the natural sciences—are largely deterministic.

An opposing position—known as elelg (from “teleo”, meaning “aim”)—asserts that everything in the world has a purpose. To understand the world we need to understand where it is going. Religion is usually teleological.

When it comes to human beings, some philosophers assume strong determinism, saying that every action is determined by preceding potentially identiable causes. However, others believe that humans, unlike everything else in the world, are able to choose their actions freely, often despite the factors that inuence them.

What do you think?