Fate and Destiny - 7886 Words

\\server05\productn\T\THE\26-1-2\THE1203.txt unknown Seq: 1 26-FEB-07 9:49 Fate and Destiny: Some Historical Distinctions between the Concepts Richard W. Bargdill Saint Francis University Abstract There has been a great deal of attention given to the â€Å"free will versus determinism† debate. However, little attention has been paid to the most common expressions from this controversy—people’s everyday experience of fate and destiny. In fact, fate and destiny are terms that are often used as synonyms as if there were no differences between the two words. This paper distinguishes the two concepts by reviewing some historical distinctions made by a variety of philosophers, psychologists and scientists. The paper also discusses some†¦show more content†¦The second, and more prevalent, way to learn about one’s fate would be through visiting an oracle. The oracle was a mediator between the gods and humans. The oracle did not reveal all the information supposedly woven by the three Fates, but rather it would answer questions a bout certain parts of the thread of life or about specific situations. Berofsky (1966) suggests that an oracle could only interpret major life events: any important personal project, any event significant to humanity as whole and any action that a person anxiously deliberates about. Morford and Lenardon (1985) write that some tablets found at a temple for Zeus demonstrate that ordinary people often asked the oracle for Zeus’ help on issues such as: â€Å"to what god or hero they should pray or sacrifice for their common good; others ask if it is safe to join a federation; a man inquires if it is good for him to marry; another, whether he will have children from his wife† (p. 73-74). The every day ordinary life events of the ancients apparently were not controlled by fate, only the big things. The oracle’s answer to the seeker was typically an ambiguous statement or a riddle. The ambiguity of these prophecies suggests the outcome of the destined event is, at leas t in part, the seeker’s responsibility. The seeker could interpret the ambiguous statement in any number of ways. The tragedy that typically results in Greek mythology is, by and large, due to the fact that the seeker failed to recognize theShow MoreRelatedDestiny And Freewill : Fate And Destiny1800 Words   |  8 Pages Destiny and Freewill Fate is the driving force in many epic poems, tales, and stories. This is what predetermines where the hero will go, who they are going to meet along their journeys and what they will become. It may lead to a romance so strong that it forces two cities into a war. Whether they go on to live a long life filled with glorious gifts and honour or, whether they die in battle, a glorious death or otherwise. It is these fates and destinies that are strongly woven into theRead MoreFate Vs. Destiny2024 Words   |  9 PagesFate versus Destiny There are many factors in one’s life that motivate them to strive for higher goals. Psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed a theory called the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In his writing, he states, â€Å"that people are motivated to achieve certain needs and that some needs take precedence over others. According to the theory, human motivation is based on people seeking fulfillment and change through personal growth,† (Maslow). One can see in life that there are various driving forcesRead MoreQuestions On Fate And Destiny1630 Words   |  7 PagesMichaela Radsma Humanities Mrs. Patchin 3 December 2015 Who’s In Charge? Fate and destiny are both shown to be predominant forces in the Iliad, and all mortals are subjugated to them; they are ultimately destined to fulfill a certain fate or prove themselves in some other way. 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And lastly he was tested for his valor. He fought many battlesRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Driven by Fate1105 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of Fate in Oedipus Rex Before we approach this complex question inductively, we are at first obliged to contemplate what definitions and assumptions are being made. This essay, perhaps more so than others, requires a more extensive look at this aspect of the question, because of the sheer variety of possible responses. However, I now have reduced them to three possibilities. Firstly, we could make the assumption that perhaps as destiny controls all fates, then Oedipus character was