special destiny

He doesn't. Man has the exact same destiny as all the other living creatures of the earth.

It's cockroaches that have the special destiny. They're far more adaptable than we are, and can survive conditions we can't. They can survive environmental collapse and nuclear destruction. It's going to be up to them to repopulate the earth after we manage to blow it up.

Huh? Who says man has any special destiny? Not sane people, certainly.

I know this much, if any creature says that man has a special destiny, it's man. And he only says it to man.

For all we know dogs and monkeys say the same thing to eachother. Roaches too, for that matter...

it seems v. unrealistic to have the opinion that our own destiny is not controlled purely by fate or causal determinism but through a series of events which could be loosely termed as coincidental behaviour. In other words, if say your walking down a path one day and you see an old lady and she struggles with her shopping, you might come to her aid. Then later on you receive a mystery goodwill package on your doorstep and it could have been weeks passed and unbeknowst to you, on your previous encounter you did not exchange personal data with the aforementioned old lady. Destiny has laid its card and brought forth a hidden gem in your personality where a kind-hearted nature has been rewarded. And in return soon Nemesis - the Goddess of Divine Retribution has secured that you might take the route to philanthropy or that Nature governs that for a set period the Sun will shine on you bringing forth goodwill and warm cheer. Ultimately along the way there are obstacles but these would be insurmountable if channelled positively i.e. the living creatures.

As far as we know, only man is destined to worry about his destiny.

While we are worrying about "destiny" let me suggest that there are two versions of it: (1) the non-existent predetermination of what our futures will be, and (2) that which HAS happened to bring us to our present condition. The latter is what Nietzsche had in mind when he prescribed that we love our destiny (amor fati) because it is all there is (now that it is happened). I see the future as open-ended or not determined, and the past as closed, unalterable, except as it presents in our historiographical interpretations. To that extent I guess I look like an objectivist--except that ULTIMATELY I am skeptical of both versions.

I also think that the future is open ended, yet I also think that in some cases that which has happened can predetermine what will happen. But perhaps that puts it back in the (2).
I think of destiny as the inevitable result of our efforts. If humanity has some great destiny it is because we are working towards it. What will it be? Evolving beyond our world or self annihilation? I think it depends on which we put the most effort into.

Did not the ancient Greek tragedians agree that our destiny is the result of our efforts, and that our efforts reflect our character? According to them destiny is character.

Yes! What will be left on earth after the Big One drops is/are cockroaches and Cher.

who cares about destiny

to quote george mcfly, "you are my density"

now that's some heavy ****

Because only man is capable of going against nature ....... and destroy himself. Man's special destiny, if there is one, is to self-destruct.

Sounds like Schopenhaur: resisting the will in nature by ascetic or suicidal means.

some man destiny has written at first and it is not changeable and some of those can be changed by right or wrong determination and actions.