Pointlessness Doesn’t Follow from Determinism (combating non-sequiturs)

Time and time again people express to me their feeling that if determinism is true and the “future is inevitable” due to this, that everything is “pointless”.  That for some reason us being able to freely will a change in the future implies some sort of meaningfulness that an entirely causal universe doesn’t have.

This, however, is what is called a “non-sequitur” in philosophical terms. That means the conclusion (e.g. “everything is pointless”) doesn’t follow from the premises (e.g. the universe is deterministic, the future state is a causally inevitable, etc.).

Just because the universe is deterministic, doesn’t mean that what we do is futile. In this earlier infographic I stressed the differences between fatalism and determinism. Both fatalism and determinism are incompatible with free will, but only one has a reasoned foundation. And only one is “futile” (meaning what we think, say, or do is pointless). In the infographic I made this comparison at the end:

This distinction is extremely important. And it doesn’t just apply to “calling the doctor” but rather to the point of everything we think, say, and do…and how such actions causally lead to future outcomes. Rather than being “pointless”, our actions are very “pointed”. They are just causally pointed, which of course makes sense considering the absurdity of “uncaused pointedness”.

I’d also like to list a few common non-sequiturs (conclusions that don’t follow from determinism):

“If the future is inevitable, what we do doesn’t matter.”

This non-sequitur often stems from the false equivocation of determinism with fatalism. The process of how the future is inevitable is an important factor that is left out. If “what we do” is part of the process that causally leads to that “inevitable future”, then it certainly doesn’t follow that what we do “doesn’t matter” (as the infographic explains).  If, on the other hand, fatalism applies, it does follow that what we do doesn’t matter. This is why it’s important when educating people on the lack of free will that we explain the distinction between these things.

“Given determinism, the future might as well be now.”

This does not follow. What is happening now is entirely different than what is happening in the future, regardless if what is happening now leads to what will happen in the future.

“If we have free will, then the present moment (now) is significant, because only now can we change.”

The ability to change now and the future (from what is caused) does not make such an action more significant or better. In fact I’d argue that such would be more problematic that a consistent causal path (regardless of it’s inevitability).

“If a deterministic universe eventually leads to consciousness no longer existing (e.g. through expansion, heat death of the universe, etc.) then what happens now doesn’t matter.”

Given that conscious creatures will eventually cease (if we accept that), it doesn’t follow that what happens prior to such “doesn’t matter”. Mattering happens at the time in which things that matter exist (e.g. things that can experience value states).

“Determinism leads to nihilism.”

Yet another non-sequitur. This is not the case. A determinist can recognize that value states causally happen, and recognize the importance of those value states. There are also different types of nihilism that reflect different things. For example, suggesting there is no grand meaning or purpose to the propagation of life (a very specific type of existential nihilism) is entirely different from saying there is no meaning, purpose, or point in acting a certain way  – or that there is no value or meaning at all. Also, ethical nihilism certainly doesn’t follow from determinism (my next book will be on causal ethics without free will).

 “Free will gives us meaning and purpose that we can’t have without.”

This is yet another non-sequitur. Even if we (incorrectly) accepted that there was no meaning or purpose in a no-free-will deterministic universe,  it doesn’t follow that free will grants such purpose. The fact of the matter is, determinism gives us our entire coherence of thought. The consistency to act on “what matters” through causal understandings. Without such consistency, the freedom to do otherwise willy-nilly takes away meaning and purpose (rather than grants it). Considering that all understandings of what is important – and all meaning and purpose – requires causality and consistency – free will is anything but a meaning and purpose system.

I can go on and on with examples of non-sequiturs about determinism, being pointless, not having value, not having meaning, and so on. What is clear is that such stems from a profound misunderstanding surrounding what it means that we don’t have free will, what a deterministic universe implies, and so on.

There is a reason I’ve written a book on this topic. In it I combat numerous other non-sequiturs as well.  For example “without free will there can be no knowledge, thinking, reasoning, or logic”.  More conclusions that don’t follow from the process of causality (which is actually necessary for the attainment of these things).

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'Trick Slattery

'Trick Slattery is the author of Breaking the Free Will Illusion for the Betterment of Humankind. He's an author, philosopher, artist, content creator, and entrepreneur. He has loved and immersed himself in philosophy since he was teenager. It is his first and strongest passion. Throughout the years he has built a philosophy based on analytic logic and critical thinking. Some of the topics he is most interested in are of a controversial variety, but his passion for the topics and their importance drives him to want to express these ideas to others. His other passions include pen and ink line art and digital artwork.

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