Is everything we experience predetermined? Or do we have free-will?
I would have to say, “Yes”. But that’s just me. Or is it?
Sorry. I love to play with words and philosophy is just that for the most part. The manipulation of symbols, the juggling of labels. As we ascend toward higher concepts, words start to lose their effectiveness. It becomes harder to communicate about such things. Why do you think that is?
I say, “Red”. You know what I mean. I say, “Coffee”. You know what I mean. I say, “Cup”. You know what I mean. This is because you have experienced these things. I can even say, “Red coffee cup” and you will be able to blend these ideas in your mind even if you have never seen a red coffee cup.
What are colors? They are the gradients within the very thin segment of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can sense directly.
“Richard Of York Gained Battles in Vain.”
That’s the mnemonic I was taught as a child in order to help me remember the basic colors in order of their frequency from low to high. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Violet. This thin slice of the spectrum is all we can see. By various indirect ways however, we can measure some of the frequencies that lie below (infrared) and above (ultraviolet) this.
Frequency. Vibration. A state of energy.
Okay, let me ask you a question. Have you ever seen a gamma coffee cup? Can you imagine one? Probably not very well. Why is this? Not because they don’t exist, but because you have never seen one. You cannot fully comprehend a concept that you have never experienced. This is why when Enlightened individuals speak among themselves, they have no problem understanding each other. They can also identify their brethren within a few, short sentences. To the unenlightened however, they will seem to be talking gibberish.
“My responses are limited. You must ask the right questions.”
Sound familiar? It is a quote from the character Dr. Alfred Lanning in the movie, “I, Robot” (2004). It illustrates the nature of trying to learn from a spiritual teacher. You may not get very far that way. Plus you place yourself in an inferior position to someone who may get off on just screwing with you.
You don’t need a guru. All questions are self-answering if you can define what you mean by each element of that question. You might ask yourself, “What color is that cat?” . You know what a color is. You know what a cat is. The answer is self-evident; the cat is black.
The neophyte philosopher might ask something like this: “For what purpose did God put me here?” What answer immediately springs forth?
<crickets>
Nothing of course. You must first know what you mean by “purpose”. By “here”. By “God”. And most importantly, by “me”. Once you know what these things are, the question will answer itself. (Alternatively, you may realize that the original question didn’t make any sense.)
So, lets go back to the question at the top of this post. Is your life predetermined? Or do you have free-will?
To crack this particular nut, the prerequisite questions must be addressed first. You must define your terms…
See? Once you do that, the answer becomes obvious!
