Using the disappearance of Madeline McCann to illustrate the differences...
Fatalism: Madeline was always going to go missing. The time, place and circumstances of the abduction were all set and therefore no human choices could have changed them and the resulting outcome.
Determinism: Madeline was always going to go missing. The time, place and circumstances of the abduction were influenced and determined by the choices that her parents, the abductor and all those involved made; these caused the same resulting inevitable outcome.
Predestination: Madeline was always going to go missing. An ultimate being foresaw and planned the event. There is no reliance on human choices or cause and effect to produce the resulting outcome. Alternatively, it is possible for humans to still exercise free will whilst God 'oversees' time and therefore knows what is going to happen (in our perspective of time) before we act.
Fatalism: spot on.
ReplyDeleteDeterminism: yes, the choices caused the resulting outcome, but it's important to note that the resulting outcome was inevitable - one way or another, it was going to happen (as opposed to fatalism, which would argue that it was going to happen in this way in particular).
Predestination: don't forget the version of predestination that allows for free will (God 'oversees' time, and therefore sees what will happen (from our perspective in time) before it has happened. In this instance, human choices and cause and effect can be understood to come into play.