I've begun reading Frankenstein, and though I'm only a few chapters in I am thoroughly enjoying this Father (or Mother) among science fiction novels. I've yet to get into the meat of it, but one comment that the narrator made caught my eye today. He spoke of his belief that a guardian angel attempted to steer him away from what would eventually cause his ruin, but also that the good guardians efforts were ineffectual because Fate (who had evidently decreed the mans demise) was so much stronger. Theologically that's unsound in the extreme, but this is SF not a commentary on the New Testament, so we'll leave that for the time being.
What I would like to know is why men have believed in Fate since ancient times. There's no solid proof really of the existence of fate/destiny, and looking at history (past and recent) there's little to indicate that it has been dictated by anything more than the sum of human choices and natural laws. I'm not saying that is necessarily the case - many things are other than what they seem - but where on earth did anyone get the idea from in the first place? I can only offer hypotheses. It's possible that mankind realised (against all odds) that there is a larger plan to our history, and then translated that feeling into the most simple version of the idea: everything is predestined and laid out by an insensible and immovable force. Or maybe people just wanted to escape responsibility and regret. If only I'd . . . Ah, but if Fate rules, then whatever you do makes no difference. This can be a horribly depressing thought if you imbibe it, but it's also a powerful painkiller - an attractive choice in a world of pain. Perhaps it was just the lesser of two philisophical evils. Those who didn't believe in Fate generally looked to Chaos as the ruler of their universe - and while dear old Chaos is certainly a bit more exciting than stolid Fate, we tend (in spite of protests to the contrary) not to like surprises. There is a proverb that is particularly deeply rooted in the human psyche: Better the devil you know . . .
1 comment:
I've found that whether someone chooses 'Fate' or 'Chaos' has little to do with their beliefs, and much to do with personality. If a man thinks he is brave, he embraces Chaos. If he feels without a purpose, he chooses Fate.
It's a bit strange when you think about it, because most religions try to combine existing beliefs. The basic thoughts of Chaos and Fate is an attempt to split God in half, and leave out an important part. Yes, some things are given up to Chaos (satan), and yes, some are fated (the apocalypse). But they both leave out the fact that you can pray for God to change everything inbetween (and that's alot).
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