Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Determinism
This week is my discussion of Chiang's "What's Expected of Us". Before we get to class on Wednesday, I was just wondering what everyone thought about the theory of Determinism. The first time I read the story, I thought it was a short, simple piece about a new futuristic toy, but after reading it again, the immense consequences really started to get to me. Wouldn't society fall apart? If every event is caused, or determined, by what happened leading up to it, then what would happen regarding blame? If every event is already predetermined wouldn't the idea of blame cease to exist? Which would mean hypothetically punishement would also disappear. Wouldn't our legal system completely fall apart? This idea seemed extremely powerful to me, since I've always planned on going to law school. Therefore, if technology and society ever did mature to this level, I think I would be in the category of people that fall into Akinetic mutism. Then again, I would have no control over this. Overall, this is another example of how brillant Ted Chiang's writings are. The seriousness of the consequences on society are almost too mind blowing to wrap my head around, but I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone else's opinions are.
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I'm not really sure what to think of "What's Expected of Us." I reminded me a good deal of pre-destination from a religious perspective. From the story I think the part of society that would collapse under the strain would also be the people afflicted with akinetic mutism. That the light always knew what I was going to do. I don't think that would bother me that much. Knowing that my actions are pre-determined for me doesn't mean they don't matter. I still have responsibility to the people I care about to act out my part.
ReplyDeleteJust like our discussion of "The Story of Your Life" Louis knew that having her child would mean that the child would die at 25 of a rock climbing accident. Louis knew that she and the dad would get a divorce. She acted her part anyway. Those memories didn't become less precious knowing that it was all predetermined.
I hope all that made sense.
I agree with Lauren in that knowing that everything is pre-determined wouldn't take away the meaning from life. A contrast to the reaction to that knowledge in 'What's Expected of Us' is the reaction of the cloth merchant in The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate: 'All the while I thought on the truth of Bashaarat’s words: past and future are the same, and we cannot change either, only know them more fully. My journey to the past had changed nothing, but what I had learned had changed everything, and I understood that it could not have been otherwise.'
ReplyDeleteChiang, Ted (2011-07-25). The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate (Kindle Locations 447-449). Subterranean Press. Kindle Edition.
I think Chiang's comments in the story itself provide an interesting point about Determinism's affects on society. He says that the people who are able to continue functioning don't fully comprehend or believe that their actions are predetermined. Reading this I was reminded of "Division by Zero" where the revelation that all math was null and void only effected a small number of people who truly comprehended the enormity of the discovery.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought I had regarding the idea of free will vs fate is comparing it to characters in a book or movie. In a story it is predetermined what the character will decide yet they are still considered to have made a choice. The comparison isn't perfect but I think it's something work thinking on.
Chiang provides intriguing concepts in this story that definitely make the reader think. I personally am not a believer in determinism at all. I also think that knowing everything that is pre-determined would take away the joy and meaning of life. What do we have to live for if everything is part of a plan? It is a bit odd to me that Chiang incorporates determinism into a great deal of his stories, hence mixing a bit of philosophy with science fiction.
ReplyDeleteChelsea, for my part, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the ideas that a) our legal system is built on punishment, and that b) punishment is built on blame. Isn't our legal system instead built on formal, even ritualistic, rules for the non-violent settlement of disputes (few of which involve punishment)? And don't we routinely punish the blameless, again in a sort of ritualistic, even atavistic, way? Current example: the Assad regime punished many innocents with sarin gas, for the acts of the rebels; U.S. airstrikes likewise would punish many innocents, for the acts of the Assad regime.
ReplyDeleteLarson, you raise an excellent point about Chiang's fiction overall: Whence all these scenarios in which characters realize they have no choice?
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Emily and Lauren. I really sat and thought about the various outcomes of people who used the Predictor, and the more I thought about it the more I really did not think it would disrupt my balance of life and afflict me with akinetic mutism. Just because your life's destiny is already pre-determined does not mean that there is not point to living the life that was chosen for you. The way Chiang ended the story was probably my favorite part. I loved how he used the writer of the message to warn the people that free will was an illusion, and that you cannot decide how the Predictor will affect you. So why did he do it? Becuase he had no choice. (because there is not free will)
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