No. I do not think everything happens for a reason, but I do think it is beneficial to see the positive in challenging life events. Both approaches serve to keep one from feeling victimized by life, but the latter doesn’t require that one believe in some grand architect twiddling the dials on one’s life events — and isn’t a Panglossian rationalization.
I don’t believe. I don’t disbelieve. I have insufficient data on which to draw a conclusion.
Do you believe in fate/destiny?
No. Life would be hard to bear if one believed one were just playing out a program, and was not a free agent.
That said, I can’t say I have enough information to have a strong belief in the opposite (i.e. free will.)
So, like a number of other big philosophical questions, it is one for which I prefer ignorance over delusion.
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