Fate Versus Free Will Essay example -- essays papers

Fate Versus Free WillFate, as described in the Oxford English Dictionary, is The principle, power, or agency by which, according to certain philosophic and popular systems of belief, all events, or some events in particular, are immutably predetermined from eternity. To the western world, fate is perceived as a conviction or doom of the gods (Oxford). They often sought prophecies of the gods, especially from Apollo, the god of knowledge. The Hellenics would try on prophecies usually when they had doubts about something, or if they were afraid or in despair. When the gods make a prophecy, the Greeks put all their faith in it and believed that it would happen. When their prophecies did come true, was it very fate that stamp d receiveled them? If so, was there any room for free will? virtually have difficulty believing that a god, rather than their own actions, could control their fate. Howalways, when a god made a prophecy, which later came true, the evidence was clarif y enough to cause some whiz to believe in fate. In one famous play, the question of fate versus free will plays a prevailing role during analysis. The play, Sophocles Oedipus Rex, stars a young man, Oedipus, who appears to be the pawn of the gods. In Ode quartette (27-31), the chorus comments on Oedipus state And now of all men ever knownMost pitiful is this mans storyHis fortunes are most changed, his stateFallen to a low slavesGround under bitter fate. Every aspect of Oedipus life and everyone he loves eventually deports from a horrible fate predicted by the gods. However, did Oedipus have to suffer his fate or did he have the power to change it is the terminus of Oedipuss life really the result of fate or his own actions? After... ... 1992. The University System of Georgia. 22 April 1999 *http//venuse.galib.uga.edu4000/FETCH%3Asessionid=29107resultset=1format=Ffcl=1recno=1numrecs=1next=html/Article.html*.* Guthrie, W. K. C. The Greeks and Their Gods. Boston Beacon Press, 1950.* Hamilton, Edith. The Greek Way. New York W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1930.* Knox, Bernard M. W. Oedipus at Thebes. New Haven Yale University Press, 1957.* Oxford English Dictionary. Galaleo. The University System of Georgia. 2 May 1999. *http//sage.libs.uga.edu/ssp/cgi-bin/oed-idx.pl?sessionid=925701061&type=entry&byte=136735810&q1=fate&q2=&q3=** Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Literature. Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998. 880-921.* Sophocles The Author and His Times. Barrons Booknotes. America Online. 22 April 1999 *AOL keyword Barrons*.