Eric Gray

My Renaissance by Eric Gray

Everybody goes through a rebirth or a revival at some point in life. Everybody
experiences it differently. Whether it be a new way of thinking, changing the daily routine, or
simply just trying new things, everybody will eventually go through a personal renaissance.
Depending on the individual, it can revitalize or ruin their life. For me, I experienced my
personal renaissance after reading Critical Thinking by Edward Engh.
More specifically, the idea that had really sparked my renaissance was introduced by
Werner Heisenberg. The idea Heisenberg had was the Theory of the Uncertainty Principle. This
said that the only way to truly know something was for it to already have happened in the past. If
it has not happened yet, how could someone possibly know that it was going to happen? And if
someone did know it was going to happen, exactly the way it was thought, then everything is
predetermined and it does not matter what happens, the outcome will remain the same. This is an
argument used for freewill. Freewill is simply the ability to be able to make choices without
restrictions. Thus, if something can predict the future, humans no longer have freewill.
Continuing, Professor Engh also elaborated on this matter. Engh took it a step further and
explained this in the sense of a god. If a god could tell the future and determine what happens,
then humans cannot be responsible for any of their actions. However, if a god cannot tell the
future, then that god would be a restricted god, which in turn as Engh says, is no god at all. So,
if there is no god at all, humans do have freewill. Which leads to humans being held accountable
for their actions. But who holds humans accountable for their actions? This way of thinking is
what led to my renaissance.
Honestly, this frustrated my way of thinking. I have two really good friends who are
serving Mormon missions right now. Before they left, they would always preach how God has a
plan for us. I never really bought into it before. Although, after reading this document, it pushed
me over the edge. Now, I most certainly do not buy into what they are preaching, mainly due to
the fact I believe they are preaching what they cannot explain. If God has a plan for all of us,
then life is predetermined and it does not matter what I, or any person does during this lifetime.
Any choice I make is supposed to happen that way, and I cannot do anything about that.
On the contrary, I find myself asking what if there truly is freewill? If the choices I make
every day really do determine my future? These are things that really impacted my renaissance,
but the one question that really made the biggest impact, is how am I supposed to know if life is
predetermined or if my actions make a difference? Who is to say? Is life just one big belief
system? If so, how do I know what I believe in is true?
In the Critical Thinking reading, it explains why humans value freewill extensively. As
human beings, with a mind and a brain, we value freewill because it allows us to see
consequences for our decisions. We value freewill because it makes us feel like what we do in
this lifetime matters.
Now, let me reflect on how I consider this to be a rebirth or revival. This is a rebirth for
me, because ultimately, I had closed the door on believing in anything. Now I am unsure on what
to believe in. The idea that everything could be planned and nothing I do can change that,
terrifies me. Yet, the idea that everything is my choice and my choice impacts everything, also

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terrifies me. After this reading, the door suddenly seemed to creak open. It had revived my
thinking and I analyze everything that is said to me.
My renaissance can take all kinds of turns and lead to me wonder on just about anything.
Here, I was mainly questioning what to believe in. The theory of uncertainty really changed my
life and the way I think. How do I know that, because it has already happened. Whether it be
Enghs argument that there is no god at all if it cannot tell the future, or whether it be the idea of
freewill, it has definitely revived the way I think. If life is predetermined than nothing I do
matters because it is planned.