Kismet: How Your Life Is Predestined

by Paul Singh

Kismet takes a scientific look at the brain itself, presenting research that supports the naturalistic stance that the mind is identical to the brain. And if mind is identical to the brain, says Singh, then we are all robots whose destinies are predetermined. Singh argues that if we take seriously the idea that the mind is the brain then it follows logically that free will must be an illusion, that there can be no consciousness independent of the brain, and that there can be no substantial self that exists independently from the brain. He further argues that there can be no such thing as absolute moral responsibility.

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2020

Reviews

[Karma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Singh takes a scientific approach to debunking what he considers as the three illusions of the brain - free will, consciousness and the self.

Singh shares the scientific discoveries that support his claim. He also mentions the fact that these illusions have likely persisted this long because of the advantage they possess for our survival.

All of us believe that we are conscious but we also believe that there is a soul or a self in each one of us which doesn't perish with the body and exists independent of it. The second belief has been contradicted by science. Singh defines free will as the ability to act without being influenced by our genetic dispositions & conditioning.

I have recently read another book called Free Will by Sam Harris. He also argues that the way we act is not free but rather determined by series of events that happened after our birth on which we have no control. His reasoning makes sense and so does Paul's.

This is especially disconcerting to me because I have been raised on a diet of 'You can be whatever you want' and 'Your life is CREATED by you'. But the evidence is too much to not be moved by. (Definitely read Free Will too.)

We are robots but complex ones. Our 'self' cannot exist without the brain 'the physical organ' (this reminds me of the no self teaching by Buddha) Our brain is a brilliant evolution and makes us capable of having the illusions of self & free will.

"Our choices are ultimately determined by what's going on in our brain, and what is going on in our brain is determined by genetics, stimuli from the environment, and a myriad of other casual influences' - Paul Singh

This has increased my interest in reading on the topic in future.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free arc of the book.