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Journal #4
American philosopher Richard Taylor said, “All men are fatalists as they look back on things." Taylor believed that fatalism is that one only has the power to do what one does. According to an interview Taylor had with Philosophy Now Magazine, he first went to college to study religion. That is where he was welcomed into the world of philosophy. After serving in the navy, he attended Brown University where he met one of the best analytical philosophers. Metaphysics is one of his most known topics. He is also known for his philosophy on controversial topics, such as love affairs. Since he was a child, he was an avid beekeeper; known for publishing many books on that topic. He believed beekeeping kept him in the real world. Taylor often wrote on behalf or against many subjects, despite his personal views. In the interview, Taylor exclaimed that he was often asked if he was still a fatalist, even though he never said if he was one to begin with or not. However, his quote states that all men are fatalists when they look into the past, so that also includes himself. In the conclusion of the interview, Taylor admitted he had been diagnosed with incurable cancer, however, he believed he was blessed with the life he had and the life he was living. In all, the views he had while he looked at his past resembles his quote, resulting in the life one has is what one makes of it. When one looks back on the past, they take on the fatalist view that the person only did what they had the power to do, which was what they did. My mom has experienced this fatalistic event. She has looked back on the past saying, “I wanted to adopt more children, but could only manage one.” So she looks back on it, saying she did what she could at that time.
Works Cited
Madigan, Tim. "Richard Taylor." Philosophy Now. Philosophy Now, 2003. Web. 03 Nov. 2015.