Belief and Determinism

There are two basic world views in our time: the religious view, and the scientific view. The variations and shades are innumerable, but in the broadest sense these two world views account for most of humankind. As things generally go, people are a mishmash of both, with all the conflict and contradictions which generally go with mishmash thinking.

But for both types belief plays a role that cannot be overstated. I believe in determinism. But the thing is, many religious views also posit belief in determinism- the point being there are philosophical categories which straddle both basic world views.

So, from my perspective, the question of whether life on earth can prevail is already settled- we just do not yet know the answer. Will we come to terms with our complete and inescapable dependence on the biosphere Gaia- and come to terms with her?

It depends on whether we can defeat Capitalism and particular forms of fundamentalist religion: (those which posit the belief that humans are essentially dis-embodied spiritual souls created by a primitive patriarchal deity... and thus privileged relative to Nature).

Kalinzskii