You call forth the world which God has formed and that world only. Nor is this life of yours by which you set such store your doing, however you may choose to tell it. Its shape was forced in the void at the onset and all talk of what might otherwise have been is senseless for there is no otherwise. Of what could it be made? Where be hid? Or how make its appearance? The probability fo the actual is absolute. That we have no power to guess it out beforehand makes it no less certain. That we may imagine alternate histories means nothing at all.
by Cormac McCarthy
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The passage reflects on the nature of existence and the deterministic view of reality. It suggests that the world we inhabit is shaped by forces beyond our control, emphasizing that our lives and choices are not entirely our own. The notion of alternative possibilities is dismissed as pointless, given that the actual world exists in a specific form that cannot be altered. It denotes a lack of agency in shaping reality, presenting a stark view of life as a preordained entity.

This perspective prompts a contemplation on the futility of considering what might have been. The author asserts that speculation about different outcomes is irrelevant since the certainty of the present moment overrides hypothetical scenarios. The limitations of human imagination are highlighted, reinforcing the idea that while we may envision different paths, they ultimately do not change the unyielding nature of our existence. This conveys a profound sense of acceptance of reality as it is.

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