"Everything happens for a reason."

[disregard]

If the things that happen, just happen, and there is no control over them, they would happen that way anyways. This can be called Destiny.

Of course there is no control over the past, but there is over the present, given the meaning one has gleaned from the past. Where did P_M indicate that he thinks that you have no control over the present?

[proteanmix]

I'm agreeing with pure_merc too. I don't think everything happens for a reason BUT you can extract meaningfulness out of a situation and give significance to that meaning. I think that's the difference between a fool and a wise person. You can extract meaning, but there may be no meaning there for you to extract. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and sometimes it's not. I guess it's knowing when it's nothing and when it's something. To me it comes down to applying good discernment to situations.

[colmena]

"Everything happens for a reason."

I believe we are unconsciously directed by evolution.
Evolution has instinct but not purpose.

I am appreciative that we have evolved to perceive and develop our perception of beauty and the experience of love.

What or whom I show this appreciation to would only cause distraction.

[swordpath]

You guys are welcome to explore avenues within the topic, but I what I meant when I started the thread was do things happen for a reason, inferring that there is a universal plan of some sort.

carry on.

[6sticks]

I disagree. It reeks of "God gave Timmy cancer so he could test our faith" kind of talk.

[nolla]

Of course there is no control over the past, but there is over the present, given the meaning one has gleaned from the past. Where did P_M indicate that he thinks that you have no control over the present?

Nah, he didn't, I'm just playing with Ideas.

If we define destiny as everything you can't control, then we will have a situation that makes you responsible for your life as you can gain more power over your destiny by controlling your attitudes and reactions better. I find this interesting.

[pure_mercury]

I really could think this way, but I choose not to, since it is a lot more useful to think that I have the absolute control over my live. You say that things just happen, so the things that happen are beyond your control, which means you have a random destiny. I, on the other hand, define my destiny, in other words, you are more in the determinism camp than I am...

No, I don't feel that way at all. I just think that things happen to use that ARE outside of our control all the time, and that we make a lot of our decisions reactively. I don't believe in "destiny" at all. We have control over what WE do.

[disregard]

If we define destiny as everything you can't control, then we will have a situation that makes you responsible for your life as you can gain more power over your destiny by controlling your attitudes and reactions. I find this interesting.

Yes, this is most fascinating.

You guys are welcome to explore avenues within the topic, but I what I meant when I started the thread was do things happen for a reason, inferring that there is a universal plan of some sort.

I thought the direction of this thread was/is very interesting.

[The Ü™]

Well, I guess everything happens for a reason to a certain extent, but it depends on how you look at it. If you're a person of science, then yes, everything does happen for a reason. As far as a more philosophical standpoint, I can't be sure. I like to think there's a reason but if I can't find the reason or even comprehend the reason, then I shall assume that it doesn't happen for a reason.

[Owl]

How do you feel about this cliche? Do you agree/disagree? Why?

What do you mean?

Are you wondering whether some form of the Principle of Sufficient Reason holds for the actual world, or are you wondering if there is an ethical component to events that occur in the actual world, i.e., that there is a good reason, a valuable reason, why all things unfold the way they do?