FATALISM OR FREEDOM 



choices" which from time immemorial 

 have shaped his conduct cannot forthwith 

 be abrogated by an intellectual dogma. 

 When attacked he may spring to the de- 

 fensive utilizing every ounce of his 

 strength and every resource of his skill. 

 And into this stream of biologically di- 

 rected energy he will pour all of intelli- 

 gent insight and foresight that he can 

 command. This he will do, even though 

 convinced by irrefragable logic that he 

 has no freedom of choice whatever in the 

 matter. 



If, now, our hypothetical fatalist is a 

 railroad magnate fighting for control of 

 a competing line, he will follow similar 

 rules, though in this case the struggle may 

 be prolonged for decades. Every step in 

 his campaign is carefully planned in ad- 

 vance in view of all possible future con- 

 tingencies and of the effect of the proposed 

 action upon each of these contingencies. 

 His final decision after mature reflection 

 is a free choice in the commonly accepted 

 sense of the term, and this natural free- 

 dom is in no wise destroyed or impaired 

 by the recognition of the fact that every 

 step in his progress follows in causal 

 sequence, provided only that we also rec- 



[72] 



