Philosophy of Free Will and Predestination

Predestination and Free Will

Definition of Predestination

• The belief that all events, including human decisions and actions, are predetermined by a higher power or fate
• The idea that the course of events is already set in motion and cannot be changed

The Problem of Free Will

• The debate surrounding whether human beings have genuine free will or if their choices are predetermined
• The question of whether our decisions are truly our own or if they are part of a predetermined plan

Arguments Against Free Will

• Determinism: The idea that every event, including human decisions, is the inevitable result of prior causes and is therefore predetermined
• Causal Chain: The notion that every event is the result of a long chain of causes and effects, making human decisions part of a predetermined sequence
• ** Omniscience**: The argument that if God is all-knowing, then He must have knowledge of all future events, including human decisions, which would imply predetermination

Arguments For Free Will

• Moral Responsibility: The idea that human beings are morally responsible for their actions, implying that they have genuine free will
• Conscious Experience: The subjective experience of making choices and decisions, which suggests that our will is not predetermined
• Libertarianism: The view that human beings have the power to make choices that are not predetermined by prior causes

Philosophical Perspectives

• Compatibilism: The belief that free will and determinism are compatible, and that our choices may be influenced by prior causes but are still our own
• Incompatibilism: The view that free will and determinism are incompatible, and that if the universe is deterministic, then our choices are not truly our own

Predestination and Free Will

Definition of Predestination

• Predestination is the belief that all events, including human decisions and actions, are predetermined by a higher power or fate.
• This concept implies that the course of events is already set in motion and cannot be changed.

The Problem of Free Will

• The debate surrounding free will questions whether human beings have genuine free will or if their choices are predetermined.
• The issue raises the question of whether our decisions are truly our own or if they are part of a predetermined plan.

Arguments Against Free Will

• Determinism argues that every event, including human decisions, is the inevitable result of prior causes and is therefore predetermined.
• The Causal Chain notion suggests that every event is the result of a long chain of causes and effects, making human decisions part of a predetermined sequence.
• Omniscience implies that if God is all-knowing, then He must have knowledge of all future events, including human decisions, which would imply predetermination.

Arguments For Free Will

• Moral Responsibility implies that human beings are morally responsible for their actions, suggesting that they have genuine free will.
• Conscious Experience suggests that our subjective experience of making choices and decisions implies that our will is not predetermined.
• Libertarianism views human beings as having the power to make choices that are not predetermined by prior causes.

Philosophical Perspectives

• Compatibilism believes that free will and determinism are compatible, and that our choices may be influenced by prior causes but are still our own.
• Incompatibilism views free will and determinism as incompatible, and that if the universe is deterministic, then our choices are not truly our own.