Originally posted by: Sabot
Originally posted by: Descartes
I believe in the fallacious causal relationships that people derive after the effect. It's referred to as post hoc ergo propter hoc; after a positive outcome people like to associate a causal relationship with something entirely nonsensical in the past, and some people choose karma. This behavior doensn't surprise me, because there are people who believe that celestial bodies influence human behavior.
I don't think it's that simple - I do agree with you to a certain degree, because I can see why people would do that.
Celestial bodies influencing behavior is not something I believe in, however.
How is it not that simple? People conduct all sorts of idiotic rituals under the belief that it somehow influences the outcome; a positive outcome means it works, and a negative outcome is forgotten. I'm guilty of the same behavior at times, but that doesn't change the fact that it's irrational.
If there is an effect in my life I could derive almost an infinite number of causal relationship, including: karma, celestial bodies, the weather, how I combed my hair that morning, what I ate, ad nauseum. The fact that I could do precisely the same thing the following day and get a different result doesn't seem to persuade the mystics; determinism isn't a necessary attribute of these quixotic forces that seem to so covet their credulous pawns.
But "
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