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Determinism Quotes

Weighing fate, choice, and human responsibility.

One determinism quote asks whether market forces should outweigh human lives and public values, while another wrestles with reconciling determinism and human responsibility against ideas of justice and mercy.

A profound political question is suddenly on the table: Must the country continue to give precedence to private financial gain and market determinism over human lives and broad public values?

Quotes by William Greider

The idea of determinism combined with complete human responsibility struck me as very hard to reconcile with an idea of justice, let alone mercy.

Quotes by Ken MacLeod

The world changed from having the determinism of a clock to having the contingency of a pinball machine.

Quotes by Heinz R. Pagels

Man is a masterpiece of creation if for no other reason than that, all the weight of evidence for determinism notwithstanding, he believes he has free will.

Quotes by Georg C. Lichtenberg

Alone Quotes

It is impossible to trap modern physics into predicting anything with perfect determinism because it deals with probabilities from the outset.

Quotes by Arthur Eddington

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 'market determinism' as used in these quotes?
It refers to letting financial gain and market forces dictate outcomes, a question one quote raises by asking if that should outweigh human lives and public values.
Do these quotes take a side on free will?
One does explicitly, arguing that despite all evidence supporting determinism, people still believe they have free will, calling that belief remarkable.
What's the clock and pinball comparison about?
It describes the world moving from the predictable determinism of a clock to the unpredictable contingency of a pinball machine, a shift in understanding.
Is justice discussed in relation to determinism here?
Yes, one quote finds it hard to reconcile determinism and full human responsibility with ideas of justice, let alone mercy.
What should I read next on this theme?
Try Clock quotes for more on structured versus chaotic ideas, or Changed quotes for more on shifting worldviews.

A third compares the world's shift from clock-like determinism to pinball-like contingency, and a final line insists people believe in free will despite the weight of evidence against it. See Clock and Alone quotes.