>
> ---- quote follows ----
> Suppose you have before you two closed boxes that you cannot se
> inside of:
>
> Box A -- This box holds $10,000.
> Box B -- This box either holds $20,000 or nothing.
>
> You are given the following options. You may choose box B
> or you may pick both boxes (A and B). In addition, you are told
> that God had placed the $10,000 in box A and had placed the
> $20,000 in box B depending on what He thought you would do:
> nothing would be in box B if God thinks you would choose the
> two boxes, or $20,000 would be in box B if God thinks you would
> only choose box B.
>
> Question: what would you do? Does God have the ability to
> predict with complete accuracy what you would do? Gardner
> then posed the question if God is able to always accurately
> predict what your action is here, then do you have free will?
> ---- quote ends ---
>
> This makes the problem quite a bit harder...
> but I think I can tie in with Ian
> Johnston's "evil microbes" thread. The question is whether God really
> *intends* for destructive parasites to exist,
> or whether they are a consequence
> of granting radical freedom to the universe itself. Since I have to grade
> papers and prepare for a lecture, I don't have time to write anything
> pretending to be profound... but this is my current $0.001 before inflation.
>
Here are a couple of questions:
1) What is the definition of radical freedom to the universe?
2) Do parts of the universe exhibit freedom? For example, does
a falling rock exhibit freedom when it follows the predictable
equations of physics?
3) What is meant by intend? Did God not forsee that destructive
parasites would happen before His very first creative act?
If God did not forsee it, then God does not have perfect
foreknowledge. If God did forsee it but created the universe
in this manner anyway, then how is this not an intention
on His part?
Oops, I asked three questions (well, even more). Oh well. :-)
-Chuck
----
Chuck Noren
Marietta, GA
noren@inetnow.net (home) / noren@es.atl.sita.int (work)