Predestination and Indeterminacy of the Future in Western and Eastern Cultures

This article investigates the perception of the future in Western and Eastern cultures through the lens of the binary opposition “predestination and indeterminacy”. The research methodology draws upon historical-cultural, cultural-philosophical, and comparative analysis of ideas about the future. Within the context of Western culture, the ideas concerning the predestination of human fate by philosophers from various epochs, ranging from Antiquity to modern times, are explored. Plato asserted the predestination of human future by a divine plan, whereas Aristotle denied any predestination and insisted on an open future. The Middle Ages scrutinized the question of predestination and free will within Christian doctrine, particularly through the teachings of Augustine. Particular attention is also given to the ideas of David Hume, Friedrich Nietzsche, Georg Simmel, Jean-Paul Sartre, and other thinkers who challenged the notion of divine predestination and advocated for human freedom of choice as the basis of his existence. The interpretation of future perception in Eastern culture is examined through examples from Chinese culture, Indian culture, and Buddhist philosophy. The author analyzes the concept of “ming” (fate) in Chinese philosophy, karma in Indian culture, and the causal relationship of suffering among all living beings in Buddhism. In conclusion, it is argued that Eastern culture differs from Western culture in its more holistic approach to this issue: the future may be predestined, yet humans still possess the ability to influence their destiny and alter the lot that has fallen to them.