- Inter-faculty Studies in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Computer Science
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Mathematics
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Computer Science
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Mathematics
(in Polish) God’s foreknowledge and human freedom 3800-GFHF22-S-OG
Can our actions and volitions be free if God knows the future? Can they be free if there is an omniscient being whose beliefs are infallible? The seminar will discuss the most important philosophical responses to the apparent threat posed by God’s foreknowledge to human freedom. The participants will familiarize themselves with contemporary and analytic interpretations and developments of diverse solutions to the title problem that appeared in the history of philosophy. For instance, the contemporary versions of W. Ockham’s, G.W. Leibniz’s and Luis de Molina’s views will be investigated. We will also scrutinize different takes on the problem of divine foreknowledge against the background of various theories in analytic philosophy, e.g., form the vantage point of contrasting analyses of counterfactual conditionals. However, the research objectives of the seminar are not limited to the aforementioned ones. Firstly, we will also ponder the connections between the problem of divine foreknowledge and issues generated by the concept of logical determinism. Secondly, different views on the relation between God’s foreknowledge and human freedom will be juxtaposed with various stances concerning the relation between human freedom and physical (nomological) determinism. Thirdly, the problem of divine foreknowledge will serve as a starting point for investigating the question of compatibility of freedom with other possible types of foreknowledge.
Type of course
general courses
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Students have a comprehensive and organized knowledge of:
- historical and contemporary theories and arguments advanced in the philosophical discussion on the relation between God’s foreknowledge and human freedom
- the definitions of the theses of physical and logical determinism, the principle of universal causation and the doctrine of fatalism
- the problem concerning the reality of the future and the block universe theory
- the analysis of modal expressions in terms of possible worlds
Students:
- seek, analyze, evaluate, select, and use information from traditional and electronic sources
- read and interpret papers discussing the relation between God’s foreknowledge and human freedom
- understand oral presentations of philosophical ideas and arguments advanced in the philosophical dispute over the relation between God’s foreknowledge and human freedom
- correctly use newly acquired terminology
- analyze philosophical arguments for and against the compatibility of God’s foreknowledge with human freedom, identify their crucial assumptions and theses
- uncover relations between different philosophical claims and theories
- select argumentative strategies, formulate critical arguments, reply to criticism
Students:
- know the scope of their knowledge and skills, acknowledge the need for constant education and professional development
- are open to new ideas and ready to change their minds in light of available data and arguments
- organize their work effectively and critically assess its progress
Assessment criteria
In order to get a 3.0 the student must write a report on a paper selected by the lecturer; getting 4.0 requires writing a report and delivering a presentation of one of the seminar readings. Receiving a 5.0 requires delivering a presentation and writing a paper on a topic closely connected with the main themes of the seminar.
Acceptable number of missed classes without formal explanation: 4 in the whole academic year
Bibliography
Adams, R. M. (1994). “Leibniz: Determinist, Theist, Idealist”. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
− (1991). An Anti-Molinist Argument, “Philosophical Perspectives”, 5, 343-354.
Alston, W. (1986). Does God Have Beliefs? “Religious Studies”, 22, 287-306.
Basinger, D. (1993). Simple Foreknowledge and Providential Control, “Faith and Philosophy”, 10, 421-427.
− (1986). Middle Knowledge and Classical Christian Thought, “Religious Studies”, 22, 407-422.
Begby E. (2005). Leibniz on Determinism and Divine Foreknowledge, “Studia Leibnitiana”, 37(1), 83-98.
Brueckner, A. (2000). On an Attempt to Demonstrate the Compatibility of Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom, “Faith and Philosophy”, 17, 132-134.
Craig, W.L. “The Only Wise God. The Compatibility of Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom.” Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock.
De Florio, C., Frigerio, A. (2019). “Divine Omniscience and Human Free Will.” Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Dennett, D.C. (2015). “Elbow Room”. Cambridge, Mass.-London: A Bradford Book, The MIT Press, Chapter 1: “Please Don’t Feed the Bugbears”, 1-21.
Finch, A., Warfield, T. (1999). Fatalism: Logical and Theological, “Faith and Philosophy”, 16, 233-238.
Fischer, J.M. (2016). “Our Fate. Essays on God and Free Will.” Oxford: Oxford University Press.
− (1994). “The Metaphysics of Free Will”. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, Chapter 6: “The Facts”, 111-130.
Fischer, J.M. & Todd, P. (eds.) (2015). “Freedom, Fatalism, and Foreknowledge.” Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Flint, T. (1998). “Divine Providence: The Molinist Account”. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Hasker, W. (2000). Anti-Molinism Is Undefeated! “Faith and Philosophy”, 17, 126-131.
Horwich, P. (1987). “Asymmetries in Time. Problems in the Philosophy of Science”. Cambridge, Mass.-London: The MIT Press, Ch. 2, “Direction”, Sec. 3-5, pp. 25-33.
Kenny, A., (1976). “Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom.” In “Aquinas: A Collection of Critical Essays”, A. Kenny (ed.). University of Notre Dame Press, 63-81.
Leibniz, G.W. (2009). “Theodicy”. New York: Cosimo, § 36-59, 143-155.
Lewis, D. (1981). Are we free to break the laws? “Theoria”, 47, 113-121.
− (1979). Counterfactual dependence and time’s arrow, “Noûs”, 13, 455-476 (only up to page 472).
McCall, S. (2011). The Supervenience of Truth: Freewill and Omniscience, “Analysis”, 71(3), 501-506.
Murray, M. J. (1995). Leibniz on Divine Foreknowledge of Future Contingents and Human Freedom, “Philosophy and Phenomenological Research”, 55(1), 75-108.
Pike, N. (1965). Divine Omniscience and Voluntary Action, “Philosophical Review”, 74, 27-46.
Plantinga, A. (1986). On Ockham’s Way Out, “Faith and Philosophy”, 3, 235-269. Reprinted in “God, Foreknowledge, and Freedom”, J.M. Fischer (ed.). Stanford, Ca.: Stanford University Press (1989), 178-215.
Sleigh, R. (1994). Leibniz on Divine Foreknowledge, “Faith and Philosophy”, 11, 547-571.
Tooley, M. (2000). Freedom and Foreknowledge, “Faith and Philosophy”, 17, 212-224.
Vicens, L.C., Kittle, S. (2019). “God and Human Freedom.” Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Warfield, T. (1997). Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom Are Compatible, “Nous”, 31, 80-86.
Wasserman, R. (2021), Freedom, Foreknowledge, and Dependence, “Nous”, 55, 603–622.
Westphal, P. (2011), The Compatibility of Divine Foreknowledge and Freewill, “Analysis”, 71(2), 246-252.
Zagzebski, L. T. (1991). “The Dilemma of Freedom and Foreknowledge”. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Additional information
Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:
- Inter-faculty Studies in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Computer Science
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Mathematics
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Computer Science
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Mathematics
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: