Sinnot-Armstrong Free Will Analysis

Improved Essays
Free Will Response The theist says that God is defended by the problem of evil because God gave us human’s free will. It says that God is not responsible for the problem of evil because God gave the ability of free will to his people that way they can make their own mistakes and live their own lives. However God does control every aspect of your life he does allow free will so that way you can make your own choices and if those choices lead to God he will allow you into Heaven. He understands that you will make mistakes because we are sinful but that is why he sent his only son down to Earth to repay for those sins. The theist, Sinnot-Armstrong, says the criticism towards the free will response is that why doesn’t God stop the serious crimes …show more content…
He also brings up a point that free will doesn’t explain the natural causes of evil such as earthquakes, diseases and many more. These problems arise independently of human actions. He says free will doesn’t explain how God allows these “natural evils” to occur. He says that God allows these things to happen that doesn’t affect our free will. I think he has brought up some great points about free will however I believe that he would need to look into the Bible more, because God explains that he has a reason for everything that he does. God may bring death to a family but that death could be a great thing disguised as bad but we cant see the overall picture. God has your whole life planned out before your even born, he knows what mistakes you are going to make but its all a part of a plan for you to one day come to him and confess your sins that way you can enter the gates of Heaven. He understands it may look like there is no God in bad times but its ultimately a test to see if you truly believe in him and if you pass the test and keep your faith you will be rewarded. I would say that for his criticism does have a point if you’re looking too much into one point in life but he needs to step back and look

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    A philosopher named Blatchford is part of the hard determinism family where he denies the existence of free will because of two things— heredity and environment. From Blatchford standpoint, he believes that heredity and environment controls a person’s decisions and morals. Early in the passage, he gives a reason against the free will party. Their definition of free will is that “the man is responsible for his acts, because his will is free to choose from right and wrong (Burr, pg. 40). Blatchford counteracts this reason with a free man not knowing right from wrong until they were taught.…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However, it is my belief that his efforts result in adjusting the definition of free will (intentionally or accidentally), which he defines…

    • 1203 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    (16)(A) An explanation that I reject comes from Rachels Evil and is the idea that evil is the result of a person’s wrongdoing. I do believe that people should be and are punished for doing wrong but the punishment is not always something that fits the crime. Some people who commit small crimes receive worse punishments then those who commit worse crimes. You would expect God to hand out punishments fairly but he does not.…

    • 1569 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    For example, a firefighter directly saves a person or child stuck in a fire, which is the same way we have a problem with why God doesn’t intervene in these disasters like the fireman. This form of saving is a more direct saving from a tragedy than the plumber I referred to earlier. As the firefighter is directly saving the child from a fire like an act of God, God fixing a leaky sink would not be seen as a problem of evil, more of an inconvenience. The same example could be used for a medical professional, a neurosurgeon doing a heart transplant would be seen as acting as God much more than the plumber. Both the firefighter and the medical field have people depend on them from protecting the people from “evil.”…

    • 1405 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Johnson carefully assesses many different “excuses” that theists give for why an all good, all powerful god approves or neglects to prevent the burning of an innocent baby. I believe his weakest “excuse” is when he claims that a baby going to heaven is only justified if it was necessary for the baby to suffer. If it was not, then it was wrong to allow it. I believe this is Johnsons weakest point because I feel as there is never a necessary reason for a baby ’s death.…

    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Evil and Omnipotence In Evil and Omnipotence, J.L. Mackie presents fallacious solutions that try solving the logical problem of evil. Fallacious solutions explicitly maintain all their propositions, but implicitly end up rejecting at least one of them. The fourth fallacious solution (S4), claims that moral evil is necessary in any world containing the overriding good of human freedom. In this paper, I will demonstrate: (I) S4; (II) Mackie’s objection of S4; (III) A primary benefit of Mackie’s argument; and (IV) Why Mackie’s criticism succeeds. (I) S4:…

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Holbach’s View on Free Will Paul Holbach was a French philosopher who is a hard determinist meaning that he believes determinism is true, and if determinism is true then you cannot have free will, therefore free will does not exist. In Paul Holbach 's “The Illusion of Free Will,” he argues that people don’t have any free will and that nature determines every human’s actions and will. Free will is the ability for one to perform an action without any outside force influencing them and to be able to be morally responsible for that action. Determinism is the belief where people’s actions and wills are caused by an external force rather their own will meaning no one can be held morally responsible for the outcome for that action. The dilemma of…

    • 1285 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    According to Peter Van Inwagen, the idea of free will should be acknowledged in terms of the power or ability of agents to perform an action contrary to what they in fact execute. The reason for this is that denying that men have free will is to affirm that what a man actually does and what he can do concur. However, Van Inwagen claims that there is substantially less concordance as to how "can" should be examined. Thus, this means that Van Inwagen notion of free will agrees with the general concept of free will, but he adds that this concept depends on the meaning given to the word "can." (Page…

    • 112 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Milton Free Will Analysis

    • 1445 Words
    • 6 Pages

    So if the created is not strong enough to use God’s tool and is manipulated by the sinful thoughts of Satan then they will fall, and this is not God’s fault because freedom and free will is not illusion. God is clear that although He knows all that He gives each and one of His creations the choice to make their own decision. He does not force their allegiance to Himself nor to Satan so the fates of their souls are in their own…

    • 1445 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Free Will and its Relation to Grace: Erasmus versus Luther In our reading on Discourse of Free Will, we develop a wholesome idea of the opinions both Erasmus and Luther had on the topic of free will and the how it correlates with God’s grace. Once we look beyond the back and forth debate of this text, we will begin to look at their theological opinions on free will separately to find a better understanding and formulate our own opinions on this commonly debated topic. As we look at the different points of view between Luther and Erasmus, we will begin looking at Discourse on Free Will.…

    • 1177 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This paper states one of many answers to the presence of evil and questioning God’s omnipotence presented by Mackie in his article “Evil and Omnipotence”. Mackie has his own “Inconsistent TRIAD” formula that states: 1. God is omnipotent 2. God is omnibenevolent 3. Evil exists.…

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The philosophical question of if we, as individuals, have free will is one that does not produce a concrete answer. But in 1971, Stanley Kubrick brought that question to life in a film called A Clockwork Orange. This film portrays a young man named Alex, who is a criminal gang leader, and participates in the Ultra-Violence. Does Alex have the free will to choose his fate as a dangerous, drug-induced criminal in society or is has his fate been predetermined since birth? Could the environment in which he lives be the ultimate cause of his terrible actions?…

    • 991 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    William W. Jacobs displays his existentialist nature through themes of freedom, responsibility, and death. In “The Monkey’s Paw,” Jacobs demonstrates these themes progressively through his characters and their actions after a cursed talisman eradicates all limitations. Arash Farzaneh defines existentialism as the measurement of humankind’s “responsibility when facing a universe devoid of laws.” Fundamentally unbound by religious conviction, humankind is required to take responsibility for their actions accordingly if they are to be truly free (Farzaneh). Jacobs establishes through his character Mr. White that humanity must accept responsibility for their own choices, regardless of the consequences that may follow.…

    • 2011 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The current debate around the openness of God is one that needs to be addressed as it is a debate that questions the very nature of God. This essay endeavours to look at the two opposing views and outline the main issues that are being debated. I will then look at why the issues being discussed are important for how we approach theology and Christian living. The two sides of the debate that we will be discussing are made up of those supporting ‘classical’ theism and those supporting ‘free will’ or ‘open’ theism.…

    • 1425 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    1. Describe a time when you experienced a significant period of suffering. How did you deal with that experience? How did you find comfort in the midst of suffering?…

    • 1001 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays