Question

PLEASE HELP. i beg you guys Suppose that you encounter a fortune-teller that knows everything about the past, present, and future. If you were to ask this fortune-teller about some future event, then this person would be able tell you exactly what will be the case. The fortune-teller is never wrong. Since this fortune-teller is able to state what will be the case for all events, do we have the freedom to act otherwise? In other words, do we have the freedom of choice to act other than what we actually do? We ordinarily think that we are making genuine choices and these choices shape the person that we become. If I were to choose between act (A) and act (B), then I think it is equally possible to pick either (A) or (B). However, the fortune-teller knows that I will pick (A) before I even consider the choice. So was it really possible to pick (B

Answer 1

1) You do have the freedom to act only if you are doing good for the world.

2) There is no chance/probability of picking act(B) because the fortune teller already know that you will be picking act(A). Even if you were to pick act(B), the fortune teller will know it beforehand.

The fortune teller is always going to say the truth. So he/she can read your mind clearly. If the teller is good he will definitely judge your choices on changing the world; if bad, then he/she will probably leave you to make bad choices which will bring you alone in trouble. The best thing you could do to change the world to a better place is to ask the teller or someone smarter for some advices before you decide.

Answer 2

This example is trying to teach you the terms "Pre-destination" and "freewill". Essentially, it is trying to say that if everything is pre-destined by God (or to make it secular, the fortune-teller), do you still have free-will to choose what you want to do.

The answer is, yes, you do have freewill. When you are on the spot, you are given choices, and you are able to choose the choice you want to make, even if the fortune-teller/God already knows what you are going to take.

Let us take an extremely greedy person who only thinks to benefit himself for example. If such a person is asked if they would rather take $1.00 to 25¢, while you may not know what he will take before hand, you can have a really good idea of what he will take, which is the $1.00. Predestination makes it so that it is 100% certain that he will take the $1.00. However, he still technically has the choice of taking the 25¢ at that moment, and so he still has free choice.

It is possible that you will take choice B, but given the human nature, you will take choice A. It has already been predestined to you, and your voluntary choice is drawn towards Choice A because of the "greater" benefits that it brings.

~