Part 2/7:
Imagine a hypothetical demon equipped with unimaginable intelligence and computational prowess. This demon can discern the precise location and velocity of every particle in the universe simultaneously. It possesses enough cognitive ability to apply Newton's laws of motion to predict the future trajectories of these particles.
The central question then arises: Could this demon predict the future with absolute certainty? Would any actions, including those seen as a product of free will, remain outside its grasp? Furthermore, could the demon fully unravel the past, given its comprehensive knowledge of the present? Such questions lie at the heart of Laplace’s thought experiment, illustrating the deterministic philosophy that posits every event as a result of preceding conditions.