Some have said that man is a
machine,
who must follow the laws ofhis nature; therefore, he is neither
free
to choose between good and evil (whatever they are) nor even between
things.
Even if he could overcome the laws of nature, he would, as some ancient
Greeks said, be subject to "fate" (moira, eir mene) whose decisions
must
be fulfilled. Thus, choice is a delusion.
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Popper and Critical Rationalism [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy] - 0 views
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An Introduction to the Orthodox Christian Understanding of Free Will - 0 views
orthodoxyinfo.org/AzkoulFreeWill.htm
orthodox greek christianity christian understanding will fate philosophy religion
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"predestination," that is, before the creation of the world, God decided who would live with Him forever, and those who would dwell in penal fire for eternity
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Predestination= fate, destiny When they say God decided who would live, they mean go to heaven, and those who would dwell in penal Fire are the ones who go to hell
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predestination
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Materialists have postulated that man is a soulless machine and subject to the laws of nature. Freedom is an illusion. We eat what we eat, think what we think, live as we live, according to the iron laws of the universe.
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The 18th century philosopher, Immanuel Kant, said that not only must we believe that man is free, but also he has an immortal soul, and that God exists. The idea of freedom cannot exist without the idea of God and immortality. Without such beliefs, the happy life and civilization are impossible.
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In the words of Nicholas Berdayaev, "Man is an enigmatic being because he is not the product of natural processes, but is the child of freedom which springs from the abyss of non-being. "
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Man possesses a divine element within him and, therefore, he is free, with the power to create beauty, to do good, to love justice. Certainly, man's body is controlled by the strictures of time and space, but his spirit is free to transcend all the laws of his finite nature. His spirit takes him where his body cannot go.
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What does the Orthodox Church teach about free will? None of the above. She has never been concerned about the so-called discoveries of human reason. Rather she trusts the sacred Scriptures and her holy Fathers.
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We are limited -- - not paralyzed --- by our nature, the force of circumstance, the laws of Nature.
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free will does not mean the ability to do whatever we want.
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we are restricted by the passions. The passions limit the scope of our choices.
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Freedom involves deliberation. Ignorance is an excuse only for them who have no ability or opportunity to learn
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Augustine of Hippo taught that
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there are matters entirely beyond our control, such as those things which God has reserved for Himself only God has autarkeia or is self-sufficient, absolutely independent; only God is autexousios or complete "self-authority", "self-power", without any authority over Him.
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How does the Church define "free will"?
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two meanings
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It is the ability to choose between good and evil and between one thing and another. In every choice there is the risk of sin, unless we call upon the Grace of God to aid« us.
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our choices always involve the power to choose between good and evil.
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our liberty is restricted by ignorance.
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impossible for us to choose between good and evil and, therefore, to take any part in our salvation
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"original sin"
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The liberty of Christians differs from the liberty of the unbeliever, he who is outside the influence of God's saving Grace.
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choice depends upon knowledge; and upon the knowledge of God's Revelation, which presents the greatest number of choices.
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with the knowledge of God comes the knowledge of the good and, by implication, the knowledge of evil; and, consequently, the possibility to choose between them. Without that knowledge and the choices that result from them, we are left with no explanation for human existence except fate or predestination, some unknown destiny. Understanding ourselves this way, is to deprive human choice and action of all meaning Worse, if there were a God, we would need to blame him for all evil. Not even the devil, if one existed! , could be held responsible for his conduct.
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mariakanarakis