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Divine Providence and Human Freedom

Divine Providence and Human Freedom. Antimony or Harmony?. Theological Libertarianism. Basic claims 1. All events (including all acts performed by humans) do NOT flow from the divine will. Everything this world has NOT been determined (predetermined)

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Divine Providence and Human Freedom

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  1. Divine Providence and Human Freedom Antimony or Harmony?

  2. Theological Libertarianism • Basic claims • 1. All events (including all acts performed by humans) do NOT flow from the divine will. Everything this world has NOT been determined (predetermined) • 2. There is logical contradiction between divine determinism and human freedom.

  3. Theological Libertarianism, cont. • Humans are free in the sense of free will. • Libertarianism offers the best philosophical a human freedom and responsibility. • Free will alone is compatible with human freedom. God cannot determine what a free individual will do. • 3. Theological indeterminism does not entail a deism which God is not involved or lacks interest in world. God is both a coercive and a persuasive presence in the world.

  4. Logic of Theo. Libertarianism • (P1) If a human action is brought about by free will, that action cannot be totally controlled by God. • (P2) Some events in this world are brought about by free will. • Therefore: Some of the events in this world are not totally controlled by God (do not occur because God has willed them).

  5. Theological Compatibilism • Basic Claims • 1. All events (including all acts performed by humans) flow from the divine will. Everything thing in world has been determined, either passively or actively (predetermined) by God. • 2. There is NO logical contradiction between divine determinism and human freedom.

  6. Theological Compatibilism, cont. • Soft determinism (compatibilism) is true. Humans are free in that they exercise freedom agency. As long as they are doing what they want to do (as long their actions flow from their will) they are free and responsible moral agents. • God does not normally force us to act against our will. God has created us in a certain way and has put us in circumstances in which we will be willing do what he wants us to do.

  7. Theological Compatibilism, cont. • 3. Compatibilism does not entail fatalism. God has ordained that certain things would happen through human choice and action. • Our goal is not to try to actualize God's sovereign will (this will happen, must happen). We should seek God's moral will in all that we do. The fact that God has determined everything that comes to pass will not negatively affect on one's decision making.

  8. Fideism • From a human perspective we cannot make sense out of God determining what free and morally responsible humans do. • But why should we be limited to what makes sense from human perspective? The fact that God has determined everything (even the free choices and actions of humans) is a paradox or mystery of the faith – a revelational truth which we assent even if is does not make sense from human perspective.

  9. Middle Knowledge: A Via Media? • Middle knowledge proposes to offer a compromise between libertarianism and determinism. (Luis de Molina, 16th cent.) • There can be knowledge of propositions called “counterfactuals of freedom.” • These counterfactuals indicate what a creature would do in each situation of (libertarian) free choice in which the creature finds himself/herself.

  10. Middle Knowledge, cont. • On the basis of these counterfactuals, God possesses knowledge of all possible worlds, but actualizes the one which fits with his providential plan. • Libertarian freedom (free will) exists while God simultaneously remains in control. • Problems with middle knowledge.

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