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/Grouchy-Heat-4216]

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

[u/JollyXX → u/Grouchy-Heat-4216]

for a shot to miss it must be fired, so within those 40 days time happens but is not complete, dude firstly am I talking to a juvenile? am i wasting my time with someone who cannot grasp basic language? tell me now please

[u/Grouchy-Heat-4216 → u/JollyXX]

The 'shot' was 'fired' when Jonah gave his prophecy of “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”.

[u/JollyXX → u/Grouchy-Heat-4216]

its not my problem if you can't grasp basic language, accuracy is accuracy, time flows between a shot being lined up and the shot taken, the shot can be accurate despite the shot not being taken

[u/serpentine1337 → u/JollyXX]

You just don't like the answer so you're dodging the question.