Philosophy Now Forum

According to Wikipedia, "Determinism is the philosophical theory that all events, including moral choices, are completely determined by previously existing causes."

Okay, what about non-events? Are non-events determined?

What constitutes an event?

What distinguishes an event from a non-event?

More importantly, what, if anything caused this deterministic system rather than a non-deterministic system? Is the fact of a deterministic system some kind of first / original cause? Somewhere along that deterministic chain will we find everything being non-deterministic? What would determine / cause the event of everything becoming non-deterministic? How are events explained in a non-deterministic system?

"What constitutes an event?"

Consult the falling line of dominoes.

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"What distinguishes an event from a non-event (agent)?"

Consult yourself.

lacaca wrote: ↑Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:46 am
What constitutes an event?

What distinguishes an event from a non-event?

An event is something that happens. The churning of butter is an event. The melting of butter is an event. The application of butter onto a piece of toast is an event. Butter is not an event. Anything that is not an event is a non-event.