Fate, Free Will, and Sarda being a jackass

Heresy488 · 06-04-2009, 06:39 AM

In this most recent comic 1136, Red Mage makes the point that Sarda was to blame for all the ruin and death caused by the Light Warriors because he put them on the course of their actions.

To which Sarda retorted, "It's my fault you people kill and cheat your way through your miserable lives?" Sarda is putting the responsibility of the consequences of the Light Warrior's actions at their feet - as though they had a choice in the matter. However, as the last several comics have demonstrated - the Light Warriors never had a choice. #434 and all that - everything that happened was going to happen, there were no choices. Fate, determinism, and all that.

How can a person be held responsible for their actions if they had no choice in the matter? The events that happened could have happened in no other way. Holding the Light Warriors responsible for their inevitable actions would be like holding fire responsible for burning something. We know and understand fire, the consequences of fire are predictable and we know it. Sarda knows too what the Light Warriors did, what they had done, what they will do, and he further knows that the actions they take must be taken and they lack the power to do otherwise.

So how rational is it for Sarda to hold the Light Warriors accountable for the atrocities committed against the Onion Kid? The Light Warriors could no more resist their fates than fire could resist burning something. It sounds really dick for Sarda to play the fate-card to justify his own authority, holding back the free will-card for when it'll hurt the LW's case. This looks like a glaring contradiction.

And this is why fate is not a valid perspective with which to view the world. The consequences of absolving yourself of the responsibilites of your actions would be disastrous. Could you imagine someone committing a crime and then using the explanation, "I had to do it, I was compelled by my destiny to murder that person and take their money. I could not resist my fate."

"Well ok buddy, that's your confession. See you in twenty to life."

Sarda is using fate to justify himself, but is holding the Light Warriors accountable to free will. That's not right.

06-04-2009, 06:39 AM	#1
Heresy488 Sent to the cornfield Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 80	Fate, Free Will, and Sarda being a jackass In this most recent comic 1136, Red Mage makes the point that Sarda was to blame for all the ruin and death caused by the Light Warriors because he put them on the course of their actions. To which Sarda retorted, "It's my fault you people kill and cheat your way through your miserable lives?" Sarda is putting the responsibility of the consequences of the Light Warrior's actions at their feet - as though they had a choice in the matter. However, as the last several comics have demonstrated - the Light Warriors never had a choice. #434 and all that - everything that happened was going to happen, there were no choices. Fate, determinism, and all that. How can a person be held responsible for their actions if they had no choice in the matter? The events that happened could have happened in no other way. Holding the Light Warriors responsible for their inevitable actions would be like holding fire responsible for burning something. We know and understand fire, the consequences of fire are predictable and we know it. Sarda knows too what the Light Warriors did, what they had done, what they will do, and he further knows that the actions they take must be taken and they lack the power to do otherwise. So how rational is it for Sarda to hold the Light Warriors accountable for the atrocities committed against the Onion Kid? The Light Warriors could no more resist their fates than fire could resist burning something. It sounds really dick for Sarda to play the fate-card to justify his own authority, holding back the free will-card for when it'll hurt the LW's case. This looks like a glaring contradiction. And this is why fate is not a valid perspective with which to view the world. The consequences of absolving yourself of the responsibilites of your actions would be disastrous. Could you imagine someone committing a crime and then using the explanation, "I had to do it, I was compelled by my destiny to murder that person and take their money. I could not resist my fate." "Well ok buddy, that's your confession. See you in twenty to life." Sarda is using fate to justify himself, but is holding the Light Warriors accountable to free will. That's not right.