The Ancient Philosophy of Total Determinism

The ancient Ajivika school taught that free will is an illusion. They believed every event in your life was preordained by cosmic forces long ago, leaving zero room for individual choice.

Emerging in ancient India, this belief system argued that the universe operates on an ironclad path called Niyati. Because every action is entirely fixed by nature, followers concluded that human effort cannot change the future at all. It remains one of history's most radical examples of fatalism. This school stood in direct opposition to ideas of karma, which suggest that our actions can shape our destiny.