"We are all victims, Anselmo. Our destinies are decided by a cosmic roll of the dice, the winds of the stars, the vagrant breezes of fortune that blow from the windmills of the gods."

Question

What does this quote mean and how do I take a position on it for an argument? Additionally, what are some examples to support the argument.

Answer 1

Hey, Aayushma! This quote is making the claim that fate is unavoidable. The speaker is not just asserting that fate exists, but that it cannot be fought. The speaker considers themselves to be cosmically small compared to the expanse of the universe and the power of whatever Gods the speaker believes in. In philosophy, this viewpoint means that individuals are stripped of personal choices in their lives because everything that they do or that is done to them is a result of much larger forces they cannot fight or alter.

You can take a position defending this point or refuting it. I would suggest choosing which approach to take based on what you believe, unless your teacher has indicated that you have to argue one specific side. Sometimes, however, writing about what interests you (your own beliefs) can have the strongest impact. If you defend this quote, you would be defending the idea that all of our actions are predetermined by the universe and that we hold no actual choice in our lives. You could defend this by talking about the scale of the universe versus our own, a religious stance (if allowed by your teacher), or looking up philosophy related to fate and using historical primary sources in philosophy to defend the idea. If you refute/disagree with the quote, you would be saying that fate does not control our lives, and that we make the individual choices for our path in life. You could provide examples for this with an athiest standpoint, a religious standpoint arguing that higher powers give their creations freedom of choice, philosophy texts arguing that fate is nonexistent or unimportant, or real life events that would indicate that fate is not real, or that multiple pathways through life exist.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hi! This quote seems to refer to the role that fate or uncertainty plays in the lives of individuals. The speaker is saying that, like a "roll of the dice" or the wind, destiny is unpredictable. To develop your argument, I would look at the examples the speaker uses of various unpredictable things, and consider why he chose each one.