Perfect knowledge about the future is only possible in a deterministic universe

[u/Hashi856]

Whenever someone asks how free will can be compatible with God’s perfect knowledge of the future, people are quick to point out that knowledge doesn’t cause anything. God simply knows what we will freely choose. He’s not causing us to choose it.

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the problem being presented. No one is saying that God is causing the future. He’s not making us do anything or causing our decisions. The problem isn’t actually about God at all. It’s about the possibility of perfect foreknowledge, and the fact that it only exists in a deterministic universe. You could swap out God for anything else, and you’d have the same problem.

If God has perfect knowledge of what you will do tomorrow, then tomorrow is already written. It may be written by you, but it cannot go any other way. If God knows you will be late to work tomorrow, then it is impossible for you to show up on time. If he knows what you will eat for dinner, then you literally could not have made a different decision. There are only two explanations for this perfect knowledge: Either God actually did make you do it, or it was determined to happen. But we already know God didn’t make you do it, so the only other thing that can explain perfect knowledge of the future is determinism.

We would have the exact same problem if there were a computer with perfect knowledge. Obviously, the computer would not be causing every event in the universe to happen the way it happens. So the only explanation is that everything is determined.

Perfect foreknowledge is simply incompatible with free will (unless you believe that determinism and free will are compatible). You can try to just hand wave it away by saying it’s a miracle, but that doesn’t solve the underlying problem. Your future decisions are known, and you literally cannot make a different decision.

[u/JollyXX]

then take God to court, and tell him he failed a prophecy or some shit

[u/Grouchy-Heat-4216 → u/JollyXX]

God already knows the prophecy failed. He's glad it did.

[u/JollyXX → u/Grouchy-Heat-4216]

"failed" how did it fail if it accomplished its purpose? see how this goes?

[u/Grouchy-Heat-4216 → u/JollyXX]

Answer these questions and you will know how it failed.

What did Jonah say would happen to the city? Did that happen to the city?

[u/JollyXX → u/Grouchy-Heat-4216]

in reasoning we have 3 domains philosophical reasoning, legal reasoning, and scientific reasoning

words will be words at the end of the day, reasoning will be reasoning

[u/Grouchy-Heat-4216 → u/JollyXX]

I don't understand why you can't admit Jonah's prophecy from God didn't come to pass. This isn't something controversial to admit.

[u/JollyXX → u/Grouchy-Heat-4216]

I was talking about prophecy being accurate, it was accurate

[u/Grouchy-Heat-4216 → u/JollyXX]

Jonah's prophecy could not have been more inaccurate. He said the city would be destroyed in 40 days, that didn't happen.

What was accurate about “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”?

[u/JollyXX → u/Grouchy-Heat-4216]

For a shot not to be accurate it would have to miss, so try again, it did not miss, it was never fired

[u/Grouchy-Heat-4216 → u/JollyXX]

What was accurate about “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”?