Medieval Philosophy Questions Medium
The problem of free will in Medieval Philosophy revolves around the tension between human freedom and divine foreknowledge. Medieval philosophers, heavily influenced by Christian theology, grappled with the question of how human beings can possess free will if God is all-knowing and has foreknowledge of all future events.
One prominent view on this issue was known as compatibilism, which argued that free will and divine foreknowledge are compatible. According to this perspective, God's foreknowledge does not determine human actions, but rather God's knowledge is based on His timeless perspective. In other words, God's knowledge of our choices does not cause those choices; rather, His knowledge is a result of His eternal existence outside of time.
Another viewpoint, known as theological determinism, posited that God's foreknowledge does indeed determine human actions. Advocates of this position argued that if God knows in advance what choices we will make, then those choices must be predetermined and not truly free. This perspective raised questions about human responsibility and accountability for our actions if they are predetermined by divine foreknowledge.
A third perspective, known as libertarianism, rejected the idea of determinism and emphasized the existence of genuine free will. According to this view, human beings possess the ability to make choices that are not predetermined by any external factors, including divine foreknowledge. This perspective emphasized the importance of human agency and moral responsibility.
Medieval philosophers engaged in extensive debates and discussions on these different perspectives, often drawing upon theological and philosophical arguments to support their positions. Ultimately, the problem of free will in Medieval Philosophy highlighted the complex relationship between human freedom, divine foreknowledge, and the nature of God, and it continues to be a topic of philosophical inquiry to this day.