Boethius and Lady Philosophy discuss many issues, but come to the conclusion that God foresees everything and there is no free will. What is meant to happen is inevitable, therefore prayer cannot alter the future. Prayer eases people of what they cannot control. Lady Philosophy eases Boethius of his worries in his last days.
In Book I, the relationship between Boethius and Lady Philosophy is introduced. While awaiting his execution, Boethius does not pray to God but rather to Lady Philosophy. Boethius is in jail for treason and is set to be executed. When he has no one left to turn to, Boethius discovers God and the Catholic religion. Boethius has plenty of free time, so he begins writing. His new found knowledge of religion evokes many questions. …show more content…
He discovers many things about himself through Lady Philosophy, who is just his thoughts. With the help of Lady Philosophy, Boethius believes God foresees all things. This must mean that prayer cannot change or determine the future, because what is meant to happen is inevitable and nothing can alter the future. Boethius mentions prayer a few times. He states, “...even those things that do not have a definite and certain outcome can be nevertheless known by the mind of God in its simplicity and loftiness and unboundedness” (167). Although humans are incapable of knowing every outcome of each situation, God knows what is meant to happen because he is above everyone. Praying gives people the illusion that God is considering what they have to say to determine the outcome of a situation but he cannot change what is …show more content…
He has seen everything, the past, the future and everything in between. Nothing comes as a surprise to him. Therefore we have no free will and every decision we make has been foreseen by God himself. “You insist that those things of the future are inevitable if God can see them, but you must admit that not even men can make inevitable those things that they see.” (171). People cannot affect or change their future if God has seen everything already and knows the outcome. This shows a problem of effectiveness of prayer. Although many people pray to God, these prayers will not alter the inevitable outcome. We cannot control our future because God knows all and the future has already happened. So prayer is not a way to alter the future. We cannot change the future with prayer, people have no control over anything in their lives because God has everything planned. “...our hopes and our prayers are not at all in vain. Our prayers, if they are of the right kind and are pleasing to God, are not without effect.”(175). God hears all prayers but cannot act on what is being asked. God finds another way to repay goodness in
In Book I, the relationship between Boethius and Lady Philosophy is introduced. While awaiting his execution, Boethius does not pray to God but rather to Lady Philosophy. Boethius is in jail for treason and is set to be executed. When he has no one left to turn to, Boethius discovers God and the Catholic religion. Boethius has plenty of free time, so he begins writing. His new found knowledge of religion evokes many questions. …show more content…
He discovers many things about himself through Lady Philosophy, who is just his thoughts. With the help of Lady Philosophy, Boethius believes God foresees all things. This must mean that prayer cannot change or determine the future, because what is meant to happen is inevitable and nothing can alter the future. Boethius mentions prayer a few times. He states, “...even those things that do not have a definite and certain outcome can be nevertheless known by the mind of God in its simplicity and loftiness and unboundedness” (167). Although humans are incapable of knowing every outcome of each situation, God knows what is meant to happen because he is above everyone. Praying gives people the illusion that God is considering what they have to say to determine the outcome of a situation but he cannot change what is …show more content…
He has seen everything, the past, the future and everything in between. Nothing comes as a surprise to him. Therefore we have no free will and every decision we make has been foreseen by God himself. “You insist that those things of the future are inevitable if God can see them, but you must admit that not even men can make inevitable those things that they see.” (171). People cannot affect or change their future if God has seen everything already and knows the outcome. This shows a problem of effectiveness of prayer. Although many people pray to God, these prayers will not alter the inevitable outcome. We cannot control our future because God knows all and the future has already happened. So prayer is not a way to alter the future. We cannot change the future with prayer, people have no control over anything in their lives because God has everything planned. “...our hopes and our prayers are not at all in vain. Our prayers, if they are of the right kind and are pleasing to God, are not without effect.”(175). God hears all prayers but cannot act on what is being asked. God finds another way to repay goodness in