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Chaz Finney
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Date Joined Jan 2008
Total Posts : 102
 
   Posted 5/27/2010 7:32 PM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
In my discussion on the Catholic BB one of the posters made this final closing thoughts on foreknowledge and free will. Note that his presuppositions are no different than anyone elses (such as God in eternity past lined up every possible world and then chose which one to actucalize).
 
I think this view jibes with scripture quite well:
 

Reconciling omniscience with free will is always a tricky one, I shall try to express it in a way that makes it easy for everyone to understand. For starters, we will have to assume the following (these can be argued at separate times, but for the sake of this argument give as granted);


God Exists
God is all Knowing
God has Free will

---God knows the future and has Free will

i) There are a finite number of possible future events, but God has infinite knowledge, so is aware of all of the possibilities.

ii) God allows there to be a number of different future events,

iii) God allows this because he gifts humans with free will, in accordance with his nature as good and kind and generous,

iiii) God's nature as kind and generous is part of his "essence", and his essence is prior to his praxis (actions). That means, his actions must be in accordance with his essence, or they would be contradictory.

iiiii) The universe, without wills, is "essentially ordered", that means that no act can occur that is not caused to occur; ie: without humans/animals/god, a rock will only act in accordance with its nature, and only act in one way

iiiiii) There are wills in the universe, that is - mans, God etc.

iiiiiii) Nonetheless, the wills of man are only able to be exercised in accordance with their capacities (man cannot "will" himself to fly, or to be as tall as a skyscraper) - these wills are finite.

iiiiiiii) Thus, as with above there are a finite number of potential occurrences in the universe, both willed and unwilled.

iiiiiiiii) Therein, if there is a finite number of occurrences in the universe, and God is omniscient etc. etc. back to (i).

iiiiiiiiii) The only exception to the finitude of wills is God, as God is omnipotent, as well as omniscient, then his will can exceed finite values or potentials were he to want this.

iiiiiiiiiii) Therein, God's will is not constrained by his thoughts, or by events on the world, it is prior to those other things, and as such free from them.

iiiiiiiiiiii) Now, although God is aware of the finite number of "finite willed" and "unwilled" acts and occurrences in the universe, he is not constrained by this knowledge, as not only is his will not constrained by elements of finite power or knowledge, but also his will is prior to his actions and thoughts - it can act regardless of the latter.

I hold that God does NOT actualize "this" or "that" world, out of all the potential worlds. He leaves it for us to actualize, with our free will.

Even though God can know all the possible ones, He cannot know which possible one will be chosen, Unless he chooses it himself, He does not choose or actualize which one it will be - because that would violate free will, But, if he willed it so, he could - even though I suspect that would be contradictory to his good and generous nature.

God's knowledge includes all the potential occurrences, from you eating oatmeal to eating nothing at all, however because of his choice to allow us to remain free, he sacrifices his certitude, as a gift to us of freedom.

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