So I was wondering: Can people really influence their lives? At first, it seems that we really do, since it seems that we experience the effects of our actions. However, are our actions a result of purely free will, or are they just mere natural responses to certain stimuli, under specific conditions? We see people acting in different ways, some with pure instinct and others with more caution, however since we cannot replicate the exact conditions during which an action was taken, how can we possibly determine whether those approaches would lead to different results (different actions being taken)? And if the answer is in the middle, which means that our actions are a result of both individual will and environmental factors, where do we draw the line on how much we can influence our lives? I think that a line needs to be drawn if a man is to achieve areté. Otherwise men would either remain apathetic without any interest to pursue goals that would be achievable, contributing nothing to society or at least wasting his potential, or, he would be acting foolishly and without caution, by pursuing unattainable goals.