Philosophy: God's Omniscience Flashcards
Boethius’s ideas on omniscience
God sees the past, present and future simultaneously, in the ‘eternal present’
What is simple necessity?
An action which must happen due to natural laws. e.g. E.g. The sun has to rise and set everyday as it is a natural law, the sun does not choose to rise and set everyday
What is conditional necessity?
Actions are caused by ones own free choice, no natural laws. God sees future actions that are a result of human free will. These things are necessary on the condition that they are known by God, but considered conditional because we choose to do it
God’s foreknowledge
it does not exist ‘prior’ to our action as it exists outside of time.
We still have free will to make moral choices
Therefore, God seeing something happen does not mean it is predetermined
Anselm’s four dimensenalism
All points in time are equally real. So time in the past, present and future are all equally real. There is sometimes an analogy drawn with space. Just as objects in space that are close are just as real as those in the distance, so all points in time are equally real.
How does Anselm criticise Boethius’s eternal present?
If God sees present, past and future all at the same time he is missing seeing the time as it actually is now. God may have numbered the hairs on your head, but He doesn’t know whether you are presently dead or alive. God does not see the now. God is like a spectator but this means God is not in the now! Also, Boethius does not solve the problem of free will. If God sees now what I will do in the past, I cannot change it, so I am not free. I cannot choose other than as God
eternally knows
What is Presentism?
The opposite to Anselm’s view.
It hold that the only time which actually exists is the present time. Past and future are non existent.
What is Schleiermacher’s view of god’s omniscience?
God’s knowledge of us is like that of a close friend
Strengths of Schleiermacher
- We can all relate to this idea.
- We still have free will.
Weaknesses of Schleiermacher
- It reduces his ability- less worthy of worship.
- Far more than a close friend- can see every side of you whereas friend cannot.
Makes God too anthropomorphic
What is Aquinas’s view of god’s omniscience?
As God created humans, he fashions each person in accordance with his plans
Strengths of Aquinas
- God is truly omniscient and omnipotent.
Solves the problem of evil- there is an ultimate point to suffering that humans are unaware of. Irenaeus
Weaknesses of Aquinas
- Everyone is determined so there isn’t free choice.
- Why would God want people to be atheists/sinners etc, surely he would make everyone good?
Handicapped people- why would God “fashion” people in this way if he was loving
