Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-27907368-20160428221757/@comment-27907368-20160502122513

I posted this on another thread, and I'm posting it here... I believe I've come down to a much more solid theory on determination and why there's a triumvirate going on. I have pictures this time. :D

http://i.imgur.com/IsNuCp1.gif

What did Alphys extract from the human SOULs if determination is mostly physical? I believe there are two forms of determination at work. We play the game with Frisk's SOUL. The DETERMINATION that Frisk, Undyne the Undying, and the amalgamates have, is DE-TERMINATION. They re-fuse. We only use this ability in Frisk's ending, the one that was true to their essence and their SOUL.

Why am I using caps? Asriel does this in his boss battle - and this is the only time determination is in all uppercase. This is because this is the only time it is a part of the SOUL and not the body. All of our STATS are in uppercase and determination is not (until this battle).

http://i.imgur.com/GuwPi3g.png

The determination that lies in the body creates the ability to manipulate time (to SAVE, reset). It is mentioned in lower case and (sometimes) scare quotes (The DT Extraction machine yielded what Alphys called "Determination"... this primal goop can serve either the SOUL or the body, as is showcased by the creation of the amalgamates and Flowey from it):

http://i.imgur.com/qd8Agll.png

Recall that Alphys gave a two-pronged definition for "Determination" - "the will to keep living" and "the resolve to change fate". The will to keep living is showcased by Frisk, resolve to change fate by Flowey. Still don't believe that there are two kinds? Well, check out the use and check text for "Last Dream", an item from Asriel's boss fight:

http://i.imgur.com/QW171rq.png

The check text is "The goal of "Determination"." Canon evidence that we're dealing with two different elements.

Frisk provides DETERMINATION. The player provides determination. As a player that wants the pacifist ending for our monster friends, we use our determination to guide the protagonist. Our goal is this one Last Dream - we won't reset again, we'll let them have their lives. This is our last dream (of all time!) before we let go of Frisk and let the world move on. This dream becomes possible because of Frisk's DETERMINATION.

And....

http://i.imgur.com/EIGwd0D.png

"Chara" recognizes that we don't have a soul in the game, so they ask for something of value: Frisk's SOUL. Why is it Frisk's? They're the one that turns into Chara in their endings. This dialogue is almost full acknowledgement that we stole someone's SOUL and played a game with it. ^^' Note that "your" implies possesion, NOT ownership. This, accompanied with Flowey's "Leave Frisk alone!" line is more than enough proof for me.

Sorry to go 180 on you. ^^' I adore philosophy, but you're right in that there's no absolute proof he used it for a base. I'll use it as a lens, not a story guide.