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Theological determinism

Theological determinism is a form of predeterminism which states that all events that happen are pre-ordained, and/or predestined to happen, by one or more divine beings, or that they are destined to occur given the divine beings' omniscience. Theological determinism exists in a number of religions, including Jainism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It is also supported by proponents of Classical pantheism such as the Stoics and by philosophers such as Baruch Spinoza.

Strong theological determinism is based on the concept of a dictating all events in history: "everything that happens has been predestined to happen by an omniscient, omnipotent divinity".[2]

creator deity

Weak theological determinism, is based on the concept of divine foreknowledge – "because 's omniscience is perfect, what God knows about the future will inevitably happen, which means, consequently, that the future is already fixed".[3] This form is affirmed by Jainism and vigorously defended by the Kanji sect of Jainism which requires belief in it as a necessary condition and first step for liberation. They often quote Einstein to support their thesis: "Events do not happen. They already exist and are seen on the Time Machine".[4] This form also allows for a multiplicity of gods, as there is no contradiction in achieving omniscience by multiple entities.

God

Two forms of theological determinism exist, here referenced as strong and weak theological determinism.[1]


There exist slight variations on the above categorization. Some claim that theological determinism requires predestination of all events and outcomes by the divinity (i.e. they do not classify the weaker version as 'theological determinism' unless libertarian free will is assumed to be denied as a consequence), or that the weaker version does not constitute 'theological determinism' at all.[5] Theological determinism can also be seen as a form of causal determinism, in which the antecedent conditions are the nature and will of God.[6] With respect to free will and the classification of theological compatibilism/incompatibilism below, "theological determinism is the thesis that God exists and has infallible knowledge of all true propositions including propositions about our future actions", more minimal criteria designed to encapsulate all forms of theological determinism.[7]

Strong theological determinism is not compatible with metaphysical libertarian free will, and is a form of hard theological determinism (equivalent to theological fatalism below). It claims that free will does not exist, and God has absolute control over a person's actions. Hard theological determinism is similar in implication to , although it does not invalidate compatibilist free will.[8] Hard theological determinism is a form of theological incompatibilism (see figure, top left).

hard determinism

Weak theological determinism is either compatible or incompatible with metaphysical libertarian free will depending upon one's philosophical interpretation of – and as such is interpreted as either a form of hard theological determinism (known as theological fatalism), or as soft theological determinism (terminology used for clarity only). Soft theological determinism claims that humans (or all organisms as per Jainism, because, otherwise they will never evolve out of their primary existence in the absence of a creator or director of the universe as per an argument similar to free will theorem) have free will to choose their actions, holding that God, whilst knowing their actions before they happen, does not affect the outcome. The belief is that their God's providence is "compatible" with voluntary choice. Soft theological determinism is known as theological compatibilism (see figure, top right). This view is held by Jainism.

omniscience

There are various implications for metaphysical libertarian free will as consequent of theological determinism and its philosophical interpretation.


A rejection of theological determinism (or divine foreknowledge) is classified as theological incompatibilism also (see figure, bottom), and is relevant to a more general discussion of free will.[8]


The basic argument for theological fatalism in the case of weak theological determinism is as follows;


This argument is often accepted as a basis for theological incompatibilism: denying either libertarian free will or divine foreknowledge (omniscience) and therefore theological determinism. On the other hand, theological compatibilism must attempt to find problems with it. The formal version of the argument rests on a number of premises, many of which have received some degree of contention. Theological compatibilist responses have included;

Argument from free will

Determinism

Calvinism

Jansenism

Predestination

Free will

Theological fatalism

Occasionalism

Ajivika

Theological Determinism