How much of your life have you chosen? And how much was decided by circumstances you never controlled? When something changes your life, do you call it fate, luck, karma or the consequence of your own decisions? Join us for a discussion exploring how major philosophical traditions understand these ideas, and what they suggest about freedom, responsibility and the lives we lead. We’ll unpack different meanings of free will: must a choice be completely free of outside causes to be yours, or can meaningful freedom exist within a world shaped by cause and effect? These questions have occupied philosophers for millennia and continue to challenge scientists today.

But what difference does your answer make to how you live? If you believe everything is fated, does that bring peace? Or make it harder to act? If you believe you control your destiny, does that inspire ambition? Or encourage you to blame yourself and others for circumstances beyond anyone’s control? Together, we’ll explore how these beliefs influence our response to success, suffering, regret and uncertainty, and whether accepting chance can coexist with taking responsibility. No philosophical or scientific knowledge is necessary, and every perspective is welcome. Bring your questions and an open mind for a conversation with no settled answer, but plenty of possibilities for understanding yourself and others differently.

你的人生里，有多少是你自己选的？又有多少，是被你从来控制不了的境况决定的？当有什么事改变了你的人生，你会管它叫命运、运气、因果，还是你自己决定的后果？跟着我们来聊一场讨论吧，看看几个主要的哲学传统是怎么理解这些概念的，以及它们对自由、责任和我们过的人生意味着什么。我们会拆一拆自由意志的不同意思：一个选择必须完全不受外部原因影响，才算你的吗，还是说，在一个由因果塑造的世界里，也可以存在有意义的自由？这些问题哲学家们琢磨了几千年，到今天还在让科学家头疼。

但你的答案，对你的活法到底有什么不一样？如果你相信一切都是注定的，这会让你平静吗？还是反而更难行动？如果你相信自己掌握命运，这会激起野心吗？还是让你更容易把那些谁都没法控制的事，怪到自己和别人头上？我们会一起看看，这些信念是怎么影响我们面对成功、苦难、后悔和不确定的，以及接受偶然能不能跟承担责任同时存在。不需要任何哲学或科学知识，欢迎所有视角。带上你的问题和开放的心态，来一场没有标准答案、但有很多可能性的聊天，让你换个方式理解自己和别人。