FREE WILL AND FATE AN OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS:

The Universe is an intricately organized and meticulously run operation, having cause and effect as apparent reality. The operation in the form of transactions which we see around us is run smoothly because, every constituent of this gigantic operation is allocated a specific task. Each human birth takes place to carry out this task in accordance with its Karmas. The allocation of task is commonly known as FATE.

The Circumstances and environment of house where one is born are pre-determined.  To be born with silver spoon or in poverty laden circumstances is Fate.  If events are not pre-ordained, they cannot be predicted. The fact that something, some event to take place at a future date can be predicted, given credence to the existence of Fate.  This is in generally called a result of Cause into arising of an effect in a short period of time which is perceivable by humans.

Behind all these pre-determined Fate, there is a force that shapes human lives. Vedic Astrology takes a giant intellectual step and identifies its force as Karma. The present is conditioned by past Karma and the Karmas done at present shape out future.

Now what is FREE WILL.  Man is a creature who cannot avoid action.  To act is to Live and action is within the freedom of a human being.  Free will is therefore a misnomer, as we have seen that the Universe is an intricately run operation where each one of us are tasked, our actions have to conform to the limitations laid out by the actions of others.  Universe is a harmonious place and to be in harmony, one has to accept limitations.

The Astrology explains complex phenomenon between fate and free will   If everything is predetermined, then Astrology has no role at all.  It has to watch things unfolding and do nothing. In the same way, if Free will is not limited, then what is that prevents a man from achieving whatever he desires.  He can act and get whatever he wants.  But this is not possible.

Astrology gives the reason, by calculating the limitations so that one can know the best time for a certain type of action.  It can also gauge the task that a particular man has been allocated and help him to act in harmonious fashion.

For Eg. A dog or a cow, tied to a pillar with belt and the Pillar is Fate or destiny, where dog can do nothing about it.  But the belt/thread is Free will and its elasticity / length are decided by the past/present karmas. Dog/cow can do what it wants within the area covered by the belt. 

Free Will exists for sure; but it is regulated by Karmic limitations.  We have to understand the nature, inclinations, outlook are conditioners which we have both granted by our past.  Freewill is the agency that produces activity and prepares the conditioning for the future. In this sense, if we exercise Freewill diligently now, the Fate can be modified to that extent.  However, the limitations of Freewill will always prevail in this modification and hence Fate determines our future, unless we are enlightened souls who are free from the results of actions performed.

(Sourced from ICAS notes on Freewill and Fate).