Discussing the dichotomy between free will and predestination, and how that relates to religious concepts such as sin and salvation.
Free Will: The philosophical concept that humans have the ability to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or external forces. The debate over free will involves questions such as whether it actually exists, how it is related to moral responsibility, and what implications it has for religious beliefs.
Predestination: The belief (often associated with Calvinist theology) that certain individuals are predestined by God to be saved or damned, and that this decision is not based on anything they have done or will do in the future. The concept of predestination raises questions about divine justice, human agency, and the nature of God.
Determinism: The philosophical idea that all events are caused by prior events or conditions, and that there is no true randomness or chance in the world. This view often conflicts with the notion of free will, since if everything is predetermined, there may be no room for human choice or agency.
Fatalism: The belief that all events (including human actions) are predetermined and inevitable, making it useless or futile to try to change them. This view is often held in opposition to the idea of free will, since individuals may feel that their choices are ultimately irrelevant.
Theodicy: The attempt to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with belief in an all-powerful and benevolent God. Theodicy is relevant to debates over predestination and free will because it raises questions about how human actions can be reconciled with divine sovereignty.
Compatibilism: The view that free will and determinism can coexist, and that even if events are predetermined, individuals can still be considered morally responsible for their actions. Compatibilism is often seen as a way to reconcile divine sovereignty with human agency.
Libertarianism: The belief that humans have free will, and that this is independent of any external factors or prior causes. This view conflicts with determinism, and emphasizes the importance of individual choice and agency.
Hard determinism: The view that determinism is true, and that free will is therefore an illusion. This view emphasizes the importance of causal chains and denies that individuals have any true choice or agency in their actions.
Soft determinism: The belief that determinism is true, but that human actions can still be considered free because they are determined by internal factors such as one's desires or values. Soft determinism emphasizes the complex relationship between internal and external factors that contribute to human actions.
The problem of evil: The philosophical problem of reconciling the existence of evil and suffering with the belief in a benevolent God. The problem of evil is relevant to discussions of free will because it raises questions about the nature of God's omnipotence and the role that human actions play in creating or alleviating suffering.
Libertarian Free Will: This is the notion that human beings are entirely free to make choices, and that these choices are not determined by any external factor. According to this view, individuals possess an innate capacity for free will that transcends any pre-existing conditions.
Compatibilist Free Will: This is the idea that free will is compatible with determinism. According to this view, even though human beings are influenced by various factors like upbringing, culture, and surroundings, they still have the ability to make free choices.
Theological Determinism: This view holds that all events, including human actions and choices, are predetermined by God. According to this view, free will is an illusion, and human beings are merely instruments through which God exercises his divine will.
Fatalism: This is the notion that all events are predetermined, and that human beings do not have any control over their lives. According to this view, whatever happens must happen, and there is no point in trying to change the course of one’s life.
Hard Determinism: This is the idea that all events, including human choices and actions, are predetermined by a combination of natural laws and past events. According to this view, free will is an illusion, and there is no such thing as moral responsibility.
Soft Determinism: This is the idea that human beings have the ability to make free choices, but these choices are limited by various factors like upbringing, culture, and surroundings. According to this view, even though individuals are influenced by various factors, they still have the ability to exert some control over their lives.
Predestination: This is the idea that some people are predestined to receive salvation from God, while others are predestined to be damned. According to this view, the fate of individuals is already determined, and there is nothing that they can do to change it.
Indeterminism: This is the notion that some events, including human actions and choices, are not predetermined and are instead the result of random chance. According to this view, free will is a real phenomenon, and human beings have the ability to make choices that are not predetermined by any external factor.
Open Theism: This is the idea that God knows all possible outcomes of any given situation, but does not foreordain any specific event or outcome. According to this view, human beings have genuine free will, and the future is not entirely predetermined.