World History teaching resources for the high school classroom: lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and simulation games for KS3, IGCSE, IB and A-Level teachers.

E. The Approach of Philosophers to the Issue of Causation

▪ The three positions you read about on the previous page are sandwiched between two extremes which reject the idea that human beings can influence the world around them in any meaningful way, whether they try to learn from the past or not.

▪ Read through the following information, then answer the questions which follow.

(a) Chaos theory
The idea that everything is simply down to chance events which we have no control over.

Example : The French Revolution occurred because Queen Marie-Antoinette told the French people to eat cake when they said they had no bread, because she was in a bad mood with an upset stomach, caused by a fly leaving germs on her food. So, the French Revolution was caused by a fly.

Key Quote: "Nothing is inevitable until it happens" (AJP Taylor).

Details

(b) Determinism
The idea that everything is the inescapable result of what went before.

Example: The French Revolution occurred because King Louis refused to give power to Parliament, because he thought he was appointed by God, because that is what the Bible said, because that is God’s will. Therefore, he was killed because it was God’s will.

Key Quote: “What we call chaos is just patterns we haven't recognized. What we call random is just patterns we cant decipher. There is no free will. There are no variables. There is only the inevitable.” – Chuck Palahniuck

Details

Questions

Read through the information on this page and then answer this question:
How would (a) A chaos theorist and (b) A determinist explain the way in which your parents conceived you?!

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