illusion of free will/master plan/self?

[pieces-of-a-man]

I once heard someone say that time as we know it is just an illusion and everything that will or can happen has already happened. If you follow this train of thought then it must mean that everything happens for reason and there are no mistakes. Everything is apart of a master plan. If this is true, then we are not practicing free will but following a predestined plan. What is your opinion on this?

I also have a question about the 'sense of self' most of us have. Most of us know who we are when we look in the mirror. We see and judge ourselves like no one else can. But is there truly only one self? If we define the self as consisting of many thoughts that dictate our behaviors then are we really one?

[Veccolo]

I once heard someone say that time as we know it is just an illusion and everything that will or can happen has already happened.

No, it cannot have happened as this would mean that there is a past which would mean there is time. If there is no time it simply means that everything that could happen is happening now.

If you follow this train of thought then it must mean that everything happens for reason and there are no mistakes.

No, it means that everything is happening now, and the only reason why this would be so is because there would be no time.

Everything is apart of a master plan.

If there is no time, than there is no plan, because a plan would mean that something specific will happen in future. Doesn't work without the time concept.

If this is true, then we are not practicing free will but following a predestined plan. What is your opinion on this?

Well, the "fixed master plan" - theory which reduces us to will-less drones is BS, imho. I actually hate it. I don't have any respect for people who believe in it, because with it they justify the infinite suffering which was, is and will be going on in the world.

I know of someone who didn't interfere when a dog was beaten to death because he thought that the beating might be part of the dog's "master plan". Terrible.

[beavis]

everything that will or can happen has already happened. If you follow this train of thought then it must mean that everything happens for reason and there are no mistakes. Everything is apart of a master plan.

You're saying that because the future has already happened for some reason, that no mistakes will be made? No, because regardless of time and order of events, mistakes will happen sometimes. Wasnt it a mistake to put asbestos in buildings?