Theory Design Lab/Karma Lab/Karma and predestination

This resource is intended for

use in the subject social studies.

This resource is intended for

use in the subject citizenship education.

This resource is intended for

use in the subject philosophy.

This resource is intended for

use in the subject practical philosophy.

This resource is intended for

use in the subject religion.

Course prerequisites: Karma theory, Predestination

Karma and predestination

For this learning resource it is assumed that karma and predestination do exist and that they represent interrelated concepts.

If an unspecific theory of karma and an unspecific theory of predestination appeared to apply that would mean that life could be subject to unknown external influences that were not properly understood. Clearly that could be seen as a very unsatisfactory situation.

How could predestination and karma be imagined to influence each other?

• With predestination as an influence on karma a just-world fallacy may become apparent: The influence may appear to run contrary to the nature of karma one might want to prefer to imagine.
• How could karma influence predestination?
• Phrase theories for either influence and try to tolerate different views of karma and predestination.
• Can your theories be measured or disproven?

How could karma influence predestination? An intentional reputation system for instance could demand a certain amount and type of reputation in order to be able to apply for a job. To be a candidate for the presidency, for instance, you might require a sufficient amount of reputation and the right type of reputation.

Moral obligations concerning predestination and karma

• If karma and predestination appear to be able to cause problems (possibly including health problems) what moral obligations may exists in relation to these effects?
• Does the prevention of problems for others itself represent another aspect of karma?
• If negative effects of karma and/or predestination may cause adverse effects:
  • Does a moral obligation to counter these effects exist?
  • Does a moral obligation to educate exist?

Health mentoring, for instance, could be seen as a measure that reduces the effects of problems that may be difficult to control for some individuals. (A belief in better karma would, for instance, be justified by the fact that the prevention of problems for others in this case is likely to improve one's own health consciousness, which would constitute an immediate beneficial effect for the health mentor.)

Predestination as an influence on karma

If the predestination of a group or person did exist as an unknown influence on the karma of a group or person then that influence might modify expectations (and cognitive biases) concerning karma that may otherwise be taken for granted by the naive observer. Thus a person might be forced to recognize the just-world fallacy as a fallacy if a "predestined influence" can be established.

• Predestination can be identified as influences of parameters the affected person was clearly unable to influence (not even "by karma").
• Assume that aspects of karma that can be applied to groups may have inter-generational effects.
  • Can you devise a combined theory of predestination and karma that puts predestination in the role of "inter-generational effects and group effects" of karma?
  • Does the theory apply to be fair according to human moral standards?
  • Can your theory be measured or disproven?
  • Is the theory useful as a metaphor for something entirely different?

For instance the population of a planet that does not sufficiently address climate change may have to live with the long-term effects of climate change. That could be seen as a scientific view of "group karma" which cannot easily be rejected and whose effects may clearly affect future generations.

• This view of karma and predestination suddenly adds a new perspective that has no expectation of fairness, because it represents interaction with the physical world.
• Can the concepts of karma and predestination be used to describe reputation systems on one side but interaction with the physical world on the other side?
• Is there a further connection between these two different sides?

An example of "reputation systems" that describe the interaction with the physical world are carbon offset providers.

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