Are the limbs of God's body free? Yes, if He wants so ---Free will in and before Veṅkaṭanātha

2011

While a great deal of work has been produced on the free will debate amongst medieval Latin philosophers, very little has been generated in regards to the medieval Arabic world. As a prominent medieval Aristotelian, Avicenna’s Neoplatonically inspired philosophy greatly influenced his contemporaries. Accordingly, Avicenna’s contribution to the dialogue concerning free will deserves special attention. The ultimate purpose of this investigation is to enter into the academic discourse in hopes of advancing a broader understanding of Avicenna’s view of free will. Those few scholars who have presented Avicenna’s position on free will in the past have done so in one of two manners. The first group analyzed Avicenna’s metaphysical theory concerning the emanation of the world by focusing on the relationship between final and efficient causes and the distinction between volition (irāda) and intention (qasd). The second deduced Avicenna’s view by evaluating his theory of emanation in relation...

This paper examines the Vaiṣṇava Vedānta theologian Madhva's statements on the agency of the individual self. Going against the grain of much of the Indian philosophical discourse on the topic, Madhva asserts that the self has agency despite being dependent on the will of God. As an aspect of this dependence, Madhva describes a deterministic heirarchy of selves. The eternal inherent nature of each self is determined by God. Finally, the paper considers claims made by earlier scholars that Madhva's system offers a satisfactory theodicy, and considers the influence that Madhva may have had on later Indian thinkers.

2011

While a great deal of work has been produced on the free will debate amongst medieval Latin philosophers, very little has been generated in regards to the medieval Arabic world. As a prominent medieval Aristotelian, Avicenna's Neoplatonically inspired philosophy greatly influenced his contemporaries. Accordingly, Avicenna's contribution to the dialogue concerning free will deserves special attention. The ultimate purpose of this investigation is to enter into the academic discourse in hopes of advancing a broader understanding of Avicenna's view of free will. Those few scholars who have presented Avicenna's position on free will in the past have done so in one of two manners. The first group analyzed Avicenna's metaphysical theory concerning the emanation of the world by focusing on the relationship between final and efficient causes and the distinction between volition (irāda) and intention (qasd). The second deduced Avicenna's view by evaluating his theory of emanation in relation to moral evil and the divine law (Shari'a). This study examines these two interpretations of Avicenna's position on free will based upon a text not considered in these earlier works, the section of Avicenna's Ta‛aliqat titled "Irāda", i.e., "Explaining Will" or "Explaining Volition". This investigation operates with the understanding that a deliberating agent possesses free will when he or she wills sensitive to his or her own judgments concerning what is best in the circumstances, whether or not the individual acts upon such a judgment. Considering his theory of emanation, theological framework, and arguments in the Ta‛aliqat, this inquiry concludes that Avicenna deems that a human agent possesses free will when he or she accepts the guidance of divine illumination, which directs the individual in gaining pure knowledge of the ultimate good, God.

Free will and the Questions of Romans 9

Sophia, 1974

Journal of World Philosophies 3 (Winter 2018), pp. 24–48

This essay reconstructs the sophisticated views on free will and determinism of the nineteenth-century Hindu mystic Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886) and brings them into dialogue with the views of three Western philosophers—namely, the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher Lord Kames (1696-1782) and the contemporary analytic philosophers Saul Smilansky and Derk Pereboom. Sri Ramakrishna affirms hard theological determinism, the view that God determines everything we do and think. At the same time, however, he claims that God, in His infinite wisdom, has endowed ordinary unenlightened people with the illusion of free will for the sake of their moral and spiritual welfare. Kames, I suggest, defends a theological determinist position remarkably similar to Sri Ramakrishna's. However, I argue that Sri Ramakrishna's mystical orientation puts him in a better position than Kames to explain why a loving God would implant in us the illusion of free will in the first place. I then show how certain aspects of the views of Smilansky and Pereboom resonate with those of Sri Ramakrishna.

International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education

There is a disputation [that will continue] till mankind are raised from the dead between the Necessitarians and the partisans of Free Will." ---Jalalu"ddin Rumi; in"Mathnawi". 1

Studia Humana, 2019

Free will is a very hot issue in several theoretical settings, but less in theology, or at least not as much as use to be in former times, when the discussions on sinfulness, grace and freedom were igniting a long season of controversies, especially in the Reformation time. Even in ecumenical dialogue apparently free will does not play a great role, since the reached consensus seems quite peaceful and agreement dominates over discussion. However, some theological insights, especially Karl Rahner reflections, are still worthy to consider and possibly theological anthropology should pay more attention to the current debate and its consequences for the way we understand human nature and its relationship with God. Theological treatment of free will poses a good 'case of study' to test Christian anthropology and its adequacy to new cultural and philosophical settings. Several new theological issues related to freedom in human beings arise in the new context, when comparing with traditional views. That topic is involved in the three main principles that theology trying to understand human person has always claimed: the Imago Dei human attribute, which includes freedom as a postulate or condition to proper talk about similarity to God; the failure state expressed as sinfulness, which has been viewed in terms of freedom trimming or limited; and the effects of grace, including among them-with some nuances-a restored full capacity for freedom, liberation from sin's bondage. Traditional and confessional positions have enriched a long discussion trying to better assess the extent that free will can reach, or its limits and boundaries, due to sin and other human limits. However, in some way, old confessional discussions seem to be overcome by new awareness and the revision of early held positions concerning the corrupting effect of sin and the regenerating consequence of grace. This is a quite realistic approach which has always moved between the empirical observation regarding human behaviour, and the speculative reflection inside a revealed framework. Theology describing or discerning free will has never been only 'speculative' and a priory; often the stated positions reflected internal struggles, or a way to observe human nature around, with its many trials, and its dark side too. However, the Biblical text has functioned as a

International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, (IJHSSE), volume 10, Issue 6, pp. 25-29 , 2023

As we know, there is a difference between a simple wish and the will of an individual. Not only a concrete action is required in order to alleviate the impact of various factors that inhibit the former before it becomes ‘will’, but also a deep level of human consciousness. It implies conscientious motivation, clear goals, etc. My paper introduces some of the elements instrumental in the leap from the wish to the human will. As the issue of Free Will shall be central to the paper because when I say ‘human will’ I refer to ‘free will’, I have to mention that I adopt a pragmatic perspective on this notion. I. e. even though, as quantum physics tell us, any decision we make is conditioned by realities pertaining to it, we do not think of this state of affair when we carry out our activities – at least not always. Because of that we feel free – free enough to be able to function according to social norms.

Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2011

The Pus : t : ipravāhamaryādābheda (PPM) by Vallabhācārya (1479-1531?) is a brief work (25 verses) written in Sanskrit in about the year 1500, which is accompanied by four Sanskrit commentaries and one Hindi (Brajbhās : a :) commentary. The most important and authoritative commentary is by Purus : ottama, written about two centuries after the original text. The article contains a translation of the PPM with long extracts from the commentaries, particularly the one composed by Purus : ottama. After an introduction placing the PPM's doctrine of the hierarchy of embodied souls (jīvas) and their eligibility to obtain states of devotion (bhakti) in a wider context of Vais : n : ava sectarian and philosophical schools, the text is presented along with the translation and notes to the text (including extracts from the commentaries). The article concludes with reflections on the PPM's doctrine of predestination, comparing it with those of other Indian religious sects and within the wider context of predestination in Western religions, where these discussions have been ongoing for more than 1500 years. An extensive bibliography is included at the end.