What Is Predestination? Predestination (Latin præ, destinare), taken in its widest meaning, is every Divine decree by which God, owing to His infallible prescience of the future, has appointed and ordained from eternity all events occurring in time, especially those which directly proceed from, or at least are influenced by, man’s free will. It includes all historical facts, as for...
Fate Fate (Latin fatum, from fari, to tell or predict) is almost redundant in the vocabulary of a Catholic as such, for its meaning as the prime cause of events is better expressed by the term Divine Providence, while, as a constant force at work in the physical universe, it is nothing more nor less than natural law. Hence St. Augustine says (City...
What Is Fate? Fate or Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events, which may be conceived as affecting the world in general or a specific individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed order to the universe. That order can be seen as the product of...
Free Will Explained The question of free will, moral liberty, or the liberum arbitrium of the Schoolmen, ranks amongst the three or four most important philosophical problems of all time. It ramifies into ethics, theology, metaphysics, and psychology. The view adopted in response to it will determine a man’s position in regard to the most momentous issues that...
Argument From Free Will The argument from free will, also called the paradox of free will or theological fatalism, contends that omniscience and free will are incompatible and that any conception of God that incorporates both properties is therefore inherently contradictory. These arguments are deeply concerned with the implications of predestination. Omniscience and free will...
What Is Compatibilism? Compatibilism is the belief that free will and determinism are mutually compatible and that it is possible to believe in both without being logically inconsistent. Compatibilists believe freedom can be present or absent in situations for reasons that have nothing to do with metaphysics. They define free will as freedom to act according to...
What Is Destiny? Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate, is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often used interchangeably, the words “fate” and “destiny” have distinct connotations. Traditional usage defines fate as a power or agency that...
Predestination In Calvinism Predestination is a doctrine in Calvinism dealing with the question of the control that God exercises over the world. In the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith, God “freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass.” The second use of the word “predestination” applies this to the salvation, and refers...
The Book Of Life In Christianity and Judaism, the Book of Life (Sefer HaChaim; Biblíon tēs Zōēs) is the book in which God records the names of every person who is destined for Heaven or the World to Come. According to the Talmud it is open on Rosh Hashanah, as is...
Free Will In Theology Free will in theology is an important part of the debate on free will in general. Religions vary greatly in their response to the standard argument against free will and thus might appeal to any number of responses to the paradox of free will, the claim that omniscience and free will are...
Predestination In Islam This article covers the meaning of predestination in Islam. Qadar (قدر, qadar, meaning “power”), but translated variously as: “fate“, “divine fore-ordainment“, “predestination”, “Divine Decree“, “Preordainment”, is the concept of divine destiny in Islam. As God is all-knowing and all-powerful, everything that has happened and will happen in the universe—including sinful human behavior—is commanded...
What Is Predeterminism? Predeterminism is the idea that all events are determined in advance. Predeterminism is the philosophy that all events of history, past, present, and future, have been already decided or are already known (by God, fate, or some other force), including human actions. Predeterminism is closely related to determinism. The concept of...
What Is Hard Determinism? Hard determinism (or metaphysical determinism) is a view on free will which holds that determinism is true, and that it is incompatible with free will, and, therefore, that free will does not exist. Although hard determinism generally refers to nomological determinism, it can also be a position taken with...
Neuroscience of Free Will Neuroscience of free will, a part of neurophilosophy, is the study of topics related to free will (volition and sense of agency) using neuroscience, and the analysis of how findings from such studies may impact the free will debate. As it has become possible to study the living human brain, researchers have...
Test And Trial For Man The world is an arena of test and trial for man. He has been sent here to acquire the state appropriate for the other life. This is not easy. Like a tailor who, in order to make a suit fit for his customer, cuts a...
Destiny, Faith And The Meaning Of Divine Decree “What Is The Meaning Of Divine Decree And Destiny and Why Is Belief In Destiny Included In The Essentials Of Faith?” Introduction The original Arabic word translated as ‘destiny‘ is ‘Qadar‘, meaning, in its derivations, determination, giving a certain measure and shape,...
Divine Decree And Destiny, And Human Free Will This article covers the relationship between Divine Decree and Destiny, and Human Free Will. The Arabic word translated as destiny is qadar. In its derivations, this word also means determination, giving a certain measure and shape, dividing, and judging. Muslim scholars of...
The Manifest Record And The Manifest Book This article covers The Manifest Record and the Manifest Book. For example, a seed exhibits Destiny in two ways: demonstrating the Manifest Record (Imamun Mubin) and displaying the Manifest Book (Kitabun Mubin). The Manifest Record, another title for Divine Knowledge and Command, includes...
Destiny And Human Free Will This article covers the answer to the question: “What Is The relationship Between Destiny And Human Free Will?“ Human free will exists because: We feel remorse when we do something wrong. We beg God’s forgiveness for our sins. If we trouble or harm someone, we...
The Divine Wisdom In Creating People Differently This article covers the answer to the question: “What Is The Divine Wisdom In Creating People Differently?“ Why did God create us with different levels of provision and intelligence, lifestyle, and physiology? Why does He allow hardship and poverty amidst ease and luxury? Such...