Re: Randomness... or not?
Don't often read or post on this section of the forum, but fancied a change from reading hand posts...
It's a classic problem you are describing, the uncertainty of whether outcomes are predetermined, leading to the musing over whether we truly have free choice or not.
As you begin to describe, there are two options: either everything is pre-determined as a sequence of cause and effect events, over which we have no control, as we are indeed part of them. In this scenario, free choice is eliminated and reduced to a systematic sequence of electrical impulses in our brains goverened by their makeup and environment. However, you are right in wondering as a result what causes the initial conditions of everything that exists, which is a question I certainly cannot answer, but often like to ponder.
The second concept to address this question is that decisions can be made and that all possible outcomes exist in parallel with one another. This takes us into the realm of multiverses and trying to understand the concept of infinity, which is a little tricky to say the least.
Obviously, I don't think you will ever find a definitive answer to the questions you are asking, but the fact that you are asking them is a good thing in my opinion. I hope my response is of some use to you.
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