boris, causality is "implied," once one starts talking about a "Fundamental Consciousness." IMHO at least.
We run to Buddhism when we've "given up" on getting answers from Reason. Perhaps ultimate answers cannot be gotten from Reason. But the moment we say that, the entire course of Western science, and maybe Western civilization itself, is DEAD.
My own view is that man is perfectly capable of exploring the truth of our universe by Reason -- and experience: His Creator equipped him that way. The amazing thing to me is these three thinkers, coming out of a regime of Soviet "thought repression" that some of their peers had to die for (cf Ervin Bauer) are the ones pointing the way.... That must mean something, in the great scale of things. JMHO FWIW.
Thanks so much for writing!
But Determinism and Causality are fundamentally connected. If you really believe causality is the case--that every event has a cause or causes and nothing else you have determinism. With determinism you have no free will.
As I mentioned, I do not see (as others do) rescue in quantum effects. Those who appeal to quantum effects to 'rescue' free will are like drowning men who will grab anything they think will help them float.
But once you introduce influences external to space/time, or "fundamental consciousness" or Platonic ideals...you can imagine a world where both causality and consciousness can coexist in an uneasy harmony.
Funny that you should say "Run to Buddhism". Buddhism repeatedly refers to "taking refuge" in Buddhism. Refuge from what? From "suffering" or "anguish"--which is principally the essential angst of human knowledge that all of us eventually die. Attachments to things is the 'source' of anguish; letting go of such attachments is the balm. Hey, I'm not a monk; I just read a lot.
Now it so happens that I am in poor health (diabetic peripheral neuropathy among other things) and I would love to end that suffering. It appears I must detach from the physical world completely (die) to attain this; I am not anxious (yet) to take such refuge, although the thought has crossed my mind...
--Boris
Perhaps ultimate answers cannot be gotten from Reason. But the moment we say that, the entire course of Western science, and maybe Western civilization itself, is DEAD.
Why do you say that? Western science has never been about finding "ultimate answers" to anything. Western science has been about finding specific answers to specific questions, in a fashion that is understandable and reproduceable.
You are simply projecting your own theistic/philosophic assumptions about what kinds of questions should be asked, and then condemning Western science because it fails to ask them.
You might as well condemn your car because it doesn't let you drive to heaven, or condemn your telephone because it doesn't let you talk to God. That's not what those things were designed for, but like Western science you must condemn them for being what they are, instead of what you want them to be.