Download or read book Why Free Will Is Real written by Christian List and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2019-05-06 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A crystal-clear, scientifically rigorous argument for the existence of free will, challenging what many scientists and scientifically minded philosophers believe. Philosophers have argued about the nature and the very existence of free will for centuries. Today, many scientists and scientifically minded commentators are skeptical that it exists, especially when it is understood to require the ability to choose between alternative possibilities. If the laws of physics govern everything that happens, they argue, then how can our choices be free? Believers in free will must be misled by habit, sentiment, or religious doctrine. Why Free Will Is Real defies scientific orthodoxy and presents a bold new defense of free will in the same naturalistic terms that are usually deployed against it. Unlike those who defend free will by giving up the idea that it requires alternative possibilities to choose from, Christian List retains this idea as central, resisting the tendency to defend free will by watering it down. He concedes that free will and its prerequisites—intentional agency, alternative possibilities, and causal control over our actions—cannot be found among the fundamental physical features of the natural world. But, he argues, that’s not where we should be looking. Free will is a “higher-level” phenomenon found at the level of psychology. It is like other phenomena that emerge from physical processes but are autonomous from them and not best understood in fundamental physical terms—like an ecosystem or the economy. When we discover it in its proper context, acknowledging that free will is real is not just scientifically respectable; it is indispensable for explaining our world.
Download or read book Christianity and the Problem of Free Will written by Leigh Vicens and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2023-06-08 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Central to the teachings of Christianity is a puzzle: on the one hand, sin seems something that humans do not do freely and so cannot be not responsible for, since it is unavoidable; on the other hand, sin seems something that we must be responsible for and so do freely, since we are enjoined to repent of it, and since it makes us liable to divine condemnation and forgiveness. After laying out the puzzle in more depth, this Element considers three possible responses—libertarian, soft determinist, and free-will skeptic—and weighs the costs and benefits of each.
Download or read book God Suffering and the Value of Free Will written by Laura W. Ekstrom and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2021-02-23 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many of us, the question of whether or not God exists is one of the most perplexing and profound questions of our lives, and numerous philosophers and theologians have debated it for centuries. Laura Ekstrom here takes a new look at the issue of God's existence by examining it against the reality of human suffering, bringing to the fore contentious presuppositions concerning agency and value at the core of the matter. When we survey the world, we observe an enormous amount of pain, including virtually unspeakable kinds of maltreatment and agony, many instances of which seem patently unfair, unearned, and pointless. This book argues that, in light of these observations, it is reasonable to conclude that God does not exist. The book unravels the extent and power of arguments from evil. Ekstrom provides a close investigation of a largely overlooked claim at the heart of major free-will-based responses to such arguments, namely that free will is worth it: sufficiently valuable to serve as the good that provides a God-justifying reason for permitting evil in the world. Through fresh examinations of traditional theodicies, Ekstrom develops an alternative line called divine intimacy theodicy, and makes an extended case for rejecting skeptical theism. The book takes up an argument from evil concerning a traditional doctrine of hell, which reveals a number of compelling issues concerning fault, agency, and blameworthiness. In response to recent work contending that the problem of evil is toothless because God is indifferent to human beings, Ekstrom defends the essential perfect moral goodness of God. She further tackles the question of whether or not it is possible to live a religious life as an agnostic or as an atheist. Through rigorous reflection, with deep respect for religious thought and experience, and with sensitivity to the range and kinds of suffering so many endure, Ekstrom firmly advances discussion of the problem of evil and paves the way for further scholarship in the philosophy of religion.
Download or read book Free Will and Theism written by Kevin Timpe and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents a systematic exploration of the relationship between religious beliefs and various accounts of free will in the contemporary domain. With a particular eye on how theological commitments might shape our views about the nature of free will, a team of leading experts in the field explores an important gap in the current debate. They focus their attention on this crucial point of intellectual intersection with surprising and illuminating results.
Download or read book Our Fate written by John Martin Fischer and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our Fate collects John Martin Fischer's previously published articles on the relationship between God's foreknowledge and human freedom. The book includes a substantial new introductory essay that puts all of the chapters into a cohesive framework, and presents a bold new account of God's foreknowledge of free actions in a causally indeterministic world.
Download or read book Predestination Free Will written by David Basinger and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2009-09-20 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If God is in control, are people really free? This question has bothered Christians for centuries. And answers have covered a wide spectrum. Today Christians still disagree. Those who emphasize human freedom view it as a reflection of God's self-limited power. Others look at human freedom in the order of God's overall control. David and Randall Basinger have put this age-old question to four scholars trained in theology and philosophy. John Feinberg of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Norman Geisler of Dallas Theological Seminary focus on God's specific sovereignty. Bruce Reichenbach of Augsburg College and Clark Pinnock of McMaster Divinity College insist that God must limit his control to ensure our freedom. Each writer argues for his perspective and applies his theory to two practical case studies. Then the other writers respond to each of the major essays, exposing what they see as fallacies and hidden assumptions. A lively and provocative volume.
Download or read book Chosen by God written by R. C. Sproul and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2011-02-18 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nearly 200,000 copies sold! Chosen by God by Dr. R. C. Sproul is a contemporary classic on predestination, a doctrine that isn’t just for Calvinists. It is a doctrine for all biblical Christians. In this updated and expanded edition of Chosen by God, Sproul shows that the doctrine of predestination doesn’t create a whimsical or spiteful picture of God, but rather paints a portrait of a loving God who provides redemption for radically corrupt humans. We choose God because he has opened our eyes to see his beauty; we love him because he first loved us. There is mystery in God’s ways, but not contradiction.
Download or read book Relational Theology written by Brint Montgomery and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2012-11-06 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A growing number of Christians feel drawn to relational theology. The God of the Bible seems thoroughly relational, and we are increasingly aware of our own interrelatedness with others. Contributors to this volume tease out some implications of relational theology in light of a host of issues, doctrines, and agendas. The result is a must-read collection of essays with proposals sure to be the center of conversations for decades to come!
Download or read book Free Will and the Christian Faith written by W. S. Anglin and published by Oxford : Clarendon Press ; Toronto : Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1990 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Libertarians such as J.R. Lucas have abandoned traditional Christian doctrines because they cannot reconcile them with the freedom of the will. Traditional Christian thinkers such as Augustine have repudiated libertarianism because they cannot reconcile it with the dogmas of the Faith. In Free Will and the Christian Faith, W.S. Anglin demonstrates that free will and traditional Christianity are ineed compatible. He examines, and solves, puzzles about the relationships between free will and omnipotence, omniscience, and God's goodness, using the idea of free will to answer the question of why God allows evil, and presenting arguments that link free will to eternal life and to the nature of revelation. Topics covered include the meaning of life, the soul and Lesbegue measure, and strategies for discerning the voice of God.
Download or read book Gospelbound written by Collin Hansen and published by Multnomah. This book was released on 2021-04-06 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A profound exploration of how to hold on to hope when our unchanging faith collides with a changing culture, from two respected Christian storytellers and thought leaders. “Offers neither spin control nor image maintenance for the evangelical tribe, but genuine hope.”—Russell Moore, president of ERLC As the pressures of health warnings, economic turmoil, and partisan politics continue to rise, the influence of gospel-focused Christians seems to be waning. In the public square and popular opinion, we are losing our voice right when it’s needed most for Christ’s glory and the common good. But there’s another story unfolding too—if you know where to look. In Gospelbound, Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra counter these growing fears with a robust message of resolute hope for anyone hungry for good news. Join them in exploring profound stories of Christians who are quietly changing the world in the name of Jesus—from the wild world of digital media to the stories of ancient saints and unsung contemporary activists on the frontiers of justice and mercy. Discover how, in these dark times, the light of Jesus shines even brighter. You haven’t heard the whole story. And that’s good news.
Download or read book Free Will vs Predestination written by Rose Publishing and published by Rose Publishing. This book was released on 2022-05-03 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This popular Freewill vs. Predestination Pamphlet compares the beliefs of Calvinism and Arminianism on 5 key topics. This Calvinism and Arminianism comparison chart is helpful for personal use, adult Bible study, Sunday school lessons, and homeschool curriculum. What's at Stake in the Calvinism vs. Arminianism Debate? The two views have many practical implications. Do people have free will or does God predestine them to be saved? If God elects us, is there any reason to spread the Gospel? Can a person lose his salvation? This easy-to-understand pamphlet compares the teachings of Arminianism with Calvinism and gives the key Bible verses you need to understand this important topic. Some people have strong feelings about salvation via "free will" versus "predestination." Both sides use Bible passages to state their case and often the discussion can go in many different directions. The Free Will vs. Predestination pamphlet provides a side-by-side comparison chart of Arminianism and Calvinism on: Free Will and Total Inability Election Atonement Grace Security of the Believer This Free Will vs. Predestination Pamphlet Includes History Timeline of Key Events Predestination Timeline: Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Reformed Churches, Synod of Dort Arminianism Timeline: Pelagius, Erasmus of Ratterdam, Albert Pighius, Arminius, Remonstrants Shows where Free Will vs. Predestination views agree Biblical passages supporting each view. Helps Christians develop an appreciation and respect for each other's beliefs Glossary of words: Arminian Points, Prevenient Grace, Regeneration, Remonstrance, Saints, Synod, and TULIP. Used for Bible study or Individual study Discipleship Small Group or Sunday School class Christian School Homeschoolers New Believers' class Church library Why Buy Easy to read. Explains the Bible visually. Attractive. Full-color, packed with fascinating charts and illustrations. Easy to understand. Uses concise and simple language. Fast. This glossy attractive booklet can take less than 20 minutes to read. Durable. Free Will vs. Predestination glossy coating helps it last. Convenient. This pamphlet's small size makes it easy to carry inside of your Bible, folder, or binder. Engaging. Free Will vs. Predestination offers fascinating facts and handy study tips that revitalize individual and group Bible studies. Lightweight. Easier to mail than a book, enabling you to uplift and equip friends, family members, and missionaries anywhere in the world.
Download or read book The Problem of Free Choice written by Saint Augustine (of Hippo) and published by . This book was released on 1955 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of Augustine's most important works, written between 388 and 395, this dialogue has as its objective not so much to discuss free will for its own sake as to discuss the problem of evil in reference to the existence of God, who is almighty and all-good.
Download or read book The Ethics of The Tripartite Tractate NHC I 5 written by Paul Linjamaa and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2019-06-07 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Ethics of The Tripartite Tractate (NHC I, 5), Paul Linjamaa explores the theoretical foundations and practical implications of the ethics in the longest Valentinian text extant today. As such, it is one of the first serious explorations of early Christian determinism.
Download or read book Letter to a Christian Nation written by Sam Harris and published by Alfred A. Knopf. This book was released on 2006 with total page 57 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A criticism of Christianity from the secularist point of view.
Download or read book The Philosophy of Early Christianity written by George E. Karamanolis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-09-03 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 2014. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Download or read book Determined to Believe written by John C. Lennox and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2018-03-27 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A serious biblical and philosophical investigation of theological determinism: the idea that everything that happens has already been decided by God, including who will and won’t be saved. This book was written for those who are interested in, or troubled by, questions about God's sovereignty and human freedom and responsibility. Christian apologist John Lennox writes in the spirit of helping people understand the biblical treatment of these concepts. In this mind-bending review of the topics of theological determinism, predestination, election, and foreknowledge, Lennox: Defines the problem, considering the concept of freedom, the different kinds of determinism, and the moral issues these pose. Explores the range of theological opinion and unpacks what the Bible—especially the gospels and Paul's letter to the Romans—teaches about human and sovereign will. Addresses the question of Christian assurance: how can I know if I have salvation? This nuanced and detailed study challenges some of the widely held assumptions about theological determinism and brings a fresh perspective to the debate. This book is for anyone who's asked questions like: Is my decision to believe or disbelieve in Jesus actually my decision? Is it possible for a genuine believer to lose their salvation? How much free will do I really have? By the author of Seven Days that Divide the World and 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, Determined to Believe? will launch your consciousness into a fresh understanding and appreciation of this important Christian debate and help you think both biblically and logically about the human condition.
Download or read book The Moral Landscape written by Sam Harris and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-09-13 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sam Harris dismantles the most common justification for religious faith--that a moral system cannot be based on science.
