Fatalism

Sometimes we use idioms and slang without considering the real meaning of them. Phrases such as: “it has always been like this”, “people have always been greedy”, “it is human nature to be bad”, “some people cannot think as good as others”, “people need to have leaders”, “common man cannot think for the good of himself” are easily uttered without considering ramifications of such lowering of humanity. Then, and in order to justify such phrases, we leave destiny of man in the hands of unknown. In this regards, we use statements such as “it was meant to be”, that is in contrast with human abilities. It is convenient to think that fate determines one’s destiny, and no matter what one does, “what is meant to happen” will happen. Fatalism takes away the thirst for achieving goals and the hunger for progress. The struggle to survive is depicted in detail in Richard Dawkins’ famous book “The Selfish Gene”. Fate and faith, two synonymous words, are engrained in basic beliefs of many people. Fatalism predicts the future regardless of what one does, and faithfulness makes one enslaved to a theory (usually metaphysical). Faith in, devotion, or loyalty to something means that one cannot think for himself or herself and cannot act independent of the person or the idea that is devoted, committed and loyal to. Fate is also translated as destiny, fortune, chance, providence, and luck, which are not necessarily the same things. Fate, fortune, and providence are relying on some supreme power to solve human’s problems. However, chance and luck are the randomness of the heavens, and all that are components of this universe, from the vast cosmos to a little earthling called human being.

                 Dr. Lutfi A. Zadeh, a computer scientist, introduced a new way of looking at the binary values that was in contrast with what was determined to be “Crisp Logic”, and titled it “Fuzzy Logic”. He introduced it as a theory to evaluate some binary values, with applications in computer science. However, we can use the same theory in social structures. What is really an absolute? Is there anything definite and conclusive? In science, a theory or a subject is doubtful unless a physical proof is achieved. In addition to fuzzy logic, there is a theory called Random Matrix Theory that has many mathematical applications. Applying this theory to social subjects again, one can conclude that everything in the universe is random, and nothing is predetermined, constant, or absolute. Merging these theories, one can arrive at a conclusion concerning existence, life, and the universe. From the earliest time recorded, philosophers and scientists have created a system, a set of logical formulas, and some rules that are explained with the means of physics, chemistry, and science in general, in order to have a blue print for the general direction of life of living things, and the universe at large. These rules govern our lives in every society, each society as a part of the blue planet, which is a small planet in our solar system, which is a small solar system in the milky way, which consists of a tiny portion of the whole universe. These laws are to bring some organization to human life in the small society we are living. Outside of that (and even inside when we get to specifics, as it will be explained) these rules and formulas are non-existent, and everything and every phenomenon is in random.

Close to a million male sperms swim towards a woman’s egg to fertilize it, and only one sperm is allowed to enter. It means that when anyone of us was conceived in an egg, about a million other chances were randomly lost. During a pregnancy, a woman has to overcome many possible diseases and hardships in order to carry the baby to the full term. When we were born, we were vulnerable to many infections, diseases, and outside threats. According to Gallop poll in November 2006: “Gallup's annual Health and Healthcare poll, conducted Nov. 9-12, finds Americans estimating, on average, that 17% of babies born today are born with a birth defect.” Of course today’s medical advancement allows a higher rate of healthy birth than before. We are born as a unique and undistinguished person. We carry DNA’s of our parents and their parents and generations before them. Each of our genes, is a product of any combinations. In a project that started in 1990 titled “The Human Genome Project”, about 20 to 25 thousand genes in human DNA were identified. In addition, sequences of about three billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA were determined. Considering that we all have variety of genes different from each other, the initial findings of this project is just the tip of the iceberg. We have classified ourselves by geographical areas we live, and within those areas, by two genders. We have further classified ourselves by races. Within each race, we call each other skinny, fat, blond, brunette, and many other characteristics that would distinguish us from each other. Of course, if an alien looks at us, it would see us alike! We may have the same experience when visiting people in a place ethically different from us. It has become as a racist remark to say that they all look alike. However, with one group of the same ethnicity, but unfamiliar features to us, we may all make the same mistake in the first glance. But people are so different from each other that you cannot find two identical twins, identical in every aspect. That goes for everything on earth and universe that there is no similarity. Again, each one of us (and everything) is a result of a random combination, out of countless varieties.

Randomness and fatalism are far apart from each other and we should not confuse them. Randomness is a belief that the universe at large is not predictable. However, we need to set up our goals and priorities within what is known to human being as law of nature. Fatalism is a belief in a predestined future. Human being, in its struggle to understand, learn, and experiment in order to advance itself, does not leave his/ her destiny to any luck or fortune, but to understanding of the environment and surroundings. For this reason it is not important if everything in the world is different and unique, and it is not possible to find two colors of the same shade to have all components and all its atoms structured in the same arrangement. We still have to find a way to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. In the past 160,000 years, and the past 13,000 of known civilization, we have been discovering ways to control our environment and make our lives on earth easier. We still have flood, earthquake, tornado, and many other natural disasters that we have to learn how to control. Having fatalistic approaches towards life, one cannot investigate and move ahead towards easier, happier, comfortable, and more joyful life. Interestingly, most of those who propagate fatalism are those who take advantage of the science at its best to wish such ideas for others economically subordinate to them. When we lose a small child to an uncontrollable disease, all we can do is to throw our hands up and say “that was god’s will” or “it meant to be that way”. That may sound as a harmless statement that is used for consolation, but it is not useful when such a disaster does not provoke determination to find a cure for the disease. Keeping a fatalistic attitude towards life equals submission to what is opposite human nature and such attitude is dangerous, at a minimum. Science has not left our destiny to the hands of some unknown, but it has been moving ahead for the advancement of human beings.