SSHM Chapter One: Determinism and Despair
"The normal process of life contains moments as bad as any of those with insane melancholy is filled with, moments in which radical evil gets its innings and takes its solid turn. The lunatic's visions of horror are all drawn from the material of daily fact."
-William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience, 1903
Today, I will be covering the topic of determinism and the accompanying despair found within it, as covered in the first chapter of Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life by John Kaag.
Determinism is the ideology regarding how our life is controlled, or m,nm determined, by a force outside of our control. Whether by a benevolent entity or an unfeeling force akin to gravity, something decides the course of our lives. To some, this may appear as simply a fact of life. After all, "one's race, sex, socioeconomic condition, and health are factors that are largely accidental" (SSHM p.11). There are some parts of life that we simply cannot control nor hope to control. Understanding and coming to terms with this disheartening yet eternal truth is a key step in maturity that we should all strive to achieve. It is determinism's supposedly irrefutable “plan” that hits me, and many others, the wrong way.
In the early 19th century, Henry Sr. (William James’ father) was introduced to one such manifestation of determinism known as Calvinism. Under Calvinism, “humans are either blessed, and therefore “elected” to go to heaven, or cursed, and therefore damned to hell. But there’s no tried-and-true way of knowing what type of person you are” (SSHM p.13). The innate uncertainty of this branch of Christianity undoubtedly instilled a sense of fear in Henry. The possibility of having being deemed “unworthy” despite your sincere and continued service to the Christian faith is bound to lead to profound disillusionment. After all, how do you love and admire a deity with such a rash approach to punishment?
“I had…been in the habit of ascribing to the Creator, so far as my life and actions are concerned, an outside discernment of the most jealous scrutiny, and had accordingly put the greatest possible alertness into his service and worship, until my will, as you have seen- thoroughly fagged out as it were with the formal, endless, heartless task of conciliating a stony hearted Deity- actually collapsed”
-Henry James Sr., The Literary Remains of the Late Henry James, 1884
This sentiment is one that I am personally quite familiar with. Through my upbringing, I have been exposed to numerous Christian denominations. From Presbyterian, to Baptist, to Methodist, I have delved into many varying beliefs that have all provided different perspectives, problems, and solutions. Throughout them all, one possible factor loomed over me: “What if I’m already lost?” The thought terrified me, and it terrified Henry.
Beyond this, this fear has more than just religious implications. Through this condition of “predestination”, the importance of one’s actions becomes practically null. Realizing the profound apathy associated with his own upbringing, Henry Sr. took strides to ensure his son, William, would have the freedom to become whomever he decided. Whether he strove to be a mathematician, a painter, or a doctor, Henry would ensure his son could achieve pure, unhindered freedom.
Unfortunately, this freedom would instead lead to William’s philosophical spiraling. As Kaag writes on page 18: “It is as if only after a person has been given everything that one has the chance to realize that everything might never be enough to really matter.” Ironically, through Henry’s attempt to ensure his son’s happiness, he neglected to take into account the consequences that would inevitably occur: the rude awakening and subsequent collapse of William’s manufactured happiness.
The process of understanding the human condition is an endless question. The most unsatisfying part is the fact that we will never have all the answers. So what’s the solution? In Henry’s case, life was determined by an external force, completely without his input. For William, life was determined by him, completely without external input…until it wasn’t.
When approaching the idea of determinism, I find it best to simply determine your own path. If your life is determined by something you’ll never be able to understand, then maybe the best tactic is simply to not try to understand it. As is common in pragmatist philosophies, such as the “Squirrel in the Tree” allegory: the very entertainment of some ideas aren’t worth the possible mental anguish or frustration that they may bring. Sometimes, its best to just move on, determine your own reality, and create something that truly matters.
Discussion Questions:
Do you believe determinism can be a helpful mindset? How?
Do you believe our fates are determined?
Great Frazz cartoon!
ReplyDeleteI recall an Arlo & Janis episode, too, in which Arlo observes the scampering rodent and concludes: "One can learn a lot from a squirrel."