‘To what extent can I determine my own destiny?’ Discuss in the light of theories, ideas and research encountered in the course.
Do I act as I do through choice or are my actions influenced by factors beyond our control? This uncertainty has concerned psychologists for decades, consequently giving rise to the 'Autonomy versus Determinism' debate. By definition, autonomy is the belief that we are free to make decisions and thus control all of our actions, however determinism contradicts this view by suggesting that all of our actions are entirely determined by the external and internal forces operating on them. Nowadays It is now commonly documented by most psychologists that it is a combination of both autonomy and determinism that determines our behaviour however this leads to another question, 'to what extent can I determine my own destiny‘? In order to answer this question this essay will firstly explore the autonomy versus determinism debate and consider how and why human action is determined and also if determinism prevents autonomy. This debate will be explore through different psychological perspectives. The trimodal theory by Richard Stevens will show how these perspectives can be integrated in an attempt to try and understand human action.
The determinist view that our behaviour is the result of some previous experience suggests that we have no free will to control our actions. As a result humanistic social psychologists have wholly rejected this idea and instead clearly supported the idea of autonomy. Autonomy basically means that we are free to choose what we do and that our behaviour is not constrained in any way. Carl Rogers (Wetherell, Still 1996:101) and Abraham Maslow (Stevens1 1996:152) enthusiastically believed that people implement choice in their behaviour and that the idea that we are not in control of our behaviour deprives us of our human characteristics. Rogers sees our personal world as being unique and believes it is sustained and improved by exercising autonomy. Maslow also supporting autonomy believes in a hierarchy of human needs i.e. when our basic needs such
as food, sleep, security, love, self esteem are met it is then that we can focus more fully on developing our personal potential which leads to self-actualisation. Maslow found that ‘peak experiences’ (moments of high excitement, deep meaning etc) were times of in...
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... (1996) Trimodal theory as a model for interrelating perspectives in psychology. In: Sapsford, R (Ed) Issues for Social Psychology. Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Stevens, R., Wetherell, M (1996) The self in the modern world: Drawing together the threads. In: Stevens, R (ed) Understanding the self. Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Still, A (1996) Historical origins of social psychology: In: Sapsford, R (Ed) Issues for Social Psychology. Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Thomas, K (1996) The psychodynamics of relating. In: Meill, D., Dallos, R. (Eds) Social Interaction and Personal Relationships. Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Toates, F (1996) The embodied self: a biological perspective. In: Stevens, R (ed) Understanding the self. Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Wetherell, M., Maybin, J (1996) The distributed self: a social constructionist perspective. In: Stevens, R (ed) Understanding the self. Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Wetherell, M., Still, A (1996) Realism and relativism. In: Sapsford, R (Ed) Issues for Social Psychology. Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, The Open University
In this essay, I will explore the concept of free will by drawing a correlation to determinism and analyse if free will is dictated for us. I will argue that the future is
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In summary, the idea of self-reliance will continue to bewilder the minds of our current and future generations. In fact, this is due to the lack of a definite answer to the question. Nevertheless, I am persuaded that whether an individual be a believer or non-believer in having control of their destiny, there are forces or uncontrollable factors in life that have the ability to control a minute percentage of one’s destiny.
“a person does not ‘inhabit’ a static object body but is subjectively embodied in a fluid, emergent, and negotiated process of being. In this process, body, self, and social interaction are interrelated to such an extent that distinctions between them are not only permeable and shifting but also actively manipulated and configured”
“Self” is the identity bestowed upon humans that allows us to distinguish ourselves from one another. A persons unique psyche is what entitles them to be considered an individual and mindfully independent. This distinct self identity follows a person through out every facet of their lives. It remains the same “self” from the time a person is born to the day they die, and possibly after. Despite many opinions, the true “self” does not come from our physical body, it comes from the mind and the soul. It is not what a person specifically thinks and feels, but the distinctive unparalleled way they do so. “Self” is embodied by our continued existence in every moment we experience. Our “self” is created to be stable and is best exemplified through consciousness. Consciousness, as defined by Miller in John Perry’s First Night, is “the non-physical and non-material aspects of you”. Some non-physical features of consciousness are demonstrated through our actions, memories, and how we perceive information. As new born babies, our consciousness is already established. Newborns have the ability to recognize their individual needs. They have a full understand of their idea of pain and pleasure, happiness and sadness. As we grow older, we better establish an awareness of our
Crisp, R, J. Turner, R, N. (2007). Essential Social Psychology. Sage Publications Limited. London. (UK). First Edition.
In this journal I noticed many similarities between Maslow’s Self-Actualization and the Self Determination Theory (SDT). SDT refers to human potential that every person possesses (Deci, Ryan, & Guay, 2013, p.109). In this theory it helps a person understand him or herself. Flourishing and actualization is seen as a natural human potential (Deci, Ryan, & Guay, 2013, p. 10). Similar to the holistic-dynamic theory, SDT uses a meta-theory that assumes that individuals are inherently inclined to be proactive and move towards a greater refinement and integration in self-functioning, which mimics individual 's potential to achieve self-actualization. The substitute for the word self-actualization is fully functioning in SDT. Full function is linked to demonic well-being (Deci, Ryan, & Guay, 2013, p. 110). The Self-Determination Theory has three basic needs, again similar to Maslow’s concept of hierarchy of needs. The three needs are competence, autonomy, and relatedness (Deci,
Ever thought about who controls the decisions you make regarding your daily activities? You may think you control every aspect of your life, but some philosophers have questioned such notions. Many schools of thought explain the analogy of free will, and they present the argument of whether we have the freedom to act or other causes and effects determine our destiny. Free will in this context is defined as the freedom to choose and act where there several alternative courses of action. Theologically, the concept of free will is presented as the power to make decisions on our own without necessarily been influenced by external or predetermined courses.
Freedom, or the concept of free will seems to be an elusive theory, yet many of us believe in it implicitly. On the opposite end of the spectrum of philosophical theories regarding freedom is determinism, which poses a direct threat to human free will. If outside forces of which I have no control over influence everything I do throughout my life, I cannot say I am a free agent and the author of my own actions. Since I have neither the power to change the laws of nature, nor to change the past, I am unable to attribute freedom of choice to myself. However, understanding the meaning of free will is necessary in order to decide whether or not it exists (Orloff, 2002).
t is intriguing that when a person is presented with the ideas of free will or determinism, they usually jump rather quickly to the conclusion of free will. Most people appreciate the genuine freedom that accompanies choice, but do we really possess it? Complete free will would mean that our decisions would be unrelated to other factors such as the environment or genetics. In reality, our free decisions are based on factors that are beyond our own control. When exercising certain choices, we conclude that we have acted freely and distinguish our actions from situations in which we believe were not in our control. The events that are not in our control are pre-determined for us, which lead us on a path to a determined life. Even though we may be making our own unique decisions, they all connect to form a single planned outcome.
Within and beyond philosophy, lies the tension between the universal concept of free will and determinism. From a general standpoint, individuals are convinced that they rule and govern their own lives. Free will embodies that individuals have the freedom to dictate their own future. It asserts that our minds and essence have the capacity to choose our own actions and direction, whilst also choose alternative paths. Determinism on the other hand, suggests that life is a product of necessity and causation, built upon the foundations of the past and laws of nature. It threatens the thesis of free will by positing that the world and everything in it is knowable through strict cause and effect relationships - eliminating the possibility of freedom
Abraham Maslow arranged human needs into a hierarchy of five needs, starting with the most important needs which are physiological needs such as, hunger, thirst, and warmth. He then went all the way up to the least important which is self-actualization that is known as the fulfillment of unique potentials. His hierarchy of needs is depicted in a pyramidal form with the most important needs at the bottom as a base and the least important towards the top. According to Maslow, self-actualization is becoming what we believe we are capable of being he also believed that self -actualization is as important as physiological needs. Many people desire to reach self-actualization because
Are our lives only a set out plan controlled by fate? Do our choices and our actions determine our futures? What is the defining factors that affect the course of our existence on Earth? These are all questions that have afflicted society for centuries. As actor William Shatner once said, “The conundrum of free will and destiny has always kept me dangling.” Previously, this debate has been present mainly in the theological world between different religious denominations. However, recently this examination has moved to the secular universe. I am of the belief that we can live our lives with free will over our actions because of my ideas on humanity, my views on life, my understanding of reason, and my belief that there is a Creator.