Choose Your Own Adventure Illusion
I would ask my friends at LJ if they knew the source of this deterministic "Choose your own Adventure" but a quick Google search gives me little hope of an answer. I am pretty sure it is a photoshopped one-off created simply for the humor value inherent in the answer being the same no matter what you believe,
This bums me out because it would be TOTALLY cool to have an actual choose your own adventure philosophy/psychology/critical thinking book! What a great educational tool!
In fact, I can envision many educational applications for such an approach
- You could use it to trace the evolution/progression of philosophical paradigms
- You could use it to follow the historical trajectory of various psychological disciplines/approaches (this could be true for any field)
- You could use it to teach research methods students about how the various choices they make determine their experimental design and the strengths weaknesses of their approach
You are in seiza. Tekki approaches you from the front and attempts a kiri-oroshi cut to your head.
If you respond by standing with a nukitsuke, turn to page 72.
If you respond by raising onto your knees and blocking with a Jodan Uke, turn to page 75.
The fact that all are thoughts and actions are merely the machinations of a predetermined universe doesn't bother me at all (any more). For one, I kind of have to believe this in order to be a scientist. Secondly, human behavior is determined by the complex interaction of influences in our environment, culture, bodies, at any given moment and over time. The end result is that our behavior might as well be based on free will for all the good it will do us trying to predict an individual's behavior with any great degree of precision.
As far as I am concerned, the illusion of free will is as good as the actuality because that illusion is unlikely to be dispelled in my lifetime.