Argue with me about something.

[ddq]

Determinism is whack. I mean, if you're "predestined" to get cured of your disease, then wouldn't you also be predestined to go through the process necessary to cure your disease? I think the only thing that's "predestined" is that determinists will all be lazy assholes.

[Cuiki]

Not sure I understand at all what you're trying to say here. But I'll give it a try.

(...) wouldn't you also be predestined to go through the process necessary to cure your disease?

Yes, you would be. How did you come to the conclusion that determinism wouldn't include that? Determinism is about every single event, however insignificant it may seem, that has any effect on any other event. So, your whole path, from catching a disease to deciding you want to see a doctor to getting cured has been laid before you. Or if you want, the whole path of catching a disease and deciding not to see a doctor. But no matter which option you have chosen, it was meant for you to choose it. The reasons why you decided not to see a doctor, for example, could have been some of the following: you don't trust doctors; you don't have health insurance; you thought it wasn't serious; you had read Domithan's post about how you'd get cured regardless of seeing a doctor or not; or you simply got a flash that you would stay at home just like that - for "no reason", just to prove that you have free will. But even that flash was a result of all the processes that were going on in your brain at that time and which were subject to your previous experiences, the way your brain works and so on.

However. Since you don't, and can't know what is destined to happen (and since you don't even know if determinism really exists) it would be foolish to put any real value on this whole theory when it comes to practical situations. I think Calin summed up this "free-will" issue nicely enough:

Of course I still live my life as if we *did* have free will because that illusion is strong enough to humans to essentially make the question irrelevant.

[Calin Leafshade]

Remember that determinism is not fatalism. Things are not 'predestined' in the way one usually uses the term.

All determinism means is that everything is part of a causal chain. Using the doctor example, you aren't 'meant' to better but you may have the correct disposition at the time to go to the doctor and the doctor that you happen to see (due to a different branch of said causal chain) might have the necessary skills (due to going to medical school which is another section of the chain) to save you from the ailment you have (which you got due to a another part of the chain)

Determinism doesnt mean that something will happen regardless of what you try to do (that's fatalism) its just means that you can't really choose your choices.

[Cuiki]

Yeah.. all these freaking terms... 

[ddq]

Then I choose to revise my previous statement. I think the only thing that's "predestined" is that determinists AND fatalists will all be lazy assholes.

[Dualnames]

determinism is that if you go out and get laid, and then rewind time, you may want to alter things, but your character and personality won't allow it. So you will reach the same result.

Fatalism is that you will get laid.

omg TEH DIFFARANCE IS BBBBBBBBIIIIIIIIIIAGGGG.

There is nothing predestined or anyhow affected by forces named as destiny. There's only society and you.