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To: TradicalRC
How about this: God knows all possible outcomes based on all possible choices and combined interaction of all choices, therefore all knowledge of what will happen is contained within God's knowledge.

Sounds like a start toward the 'counterfactuals' of Molinism. But your description, as far as it goes, is probably a better description of open theism.

Assume a universe of 100 'choices' (obviously, way too small, but just to put a number on it), all you have said thus far is that all possible outcomes of the free agency are "contained within God's knowledge." So, God knows that the one of those outcomes which will eventuate is somewhere within the universe of 100, but He cannot truly 'know' which one it is until the free agent makes his decision.

That's why I say that, with open theism, God would have probabilities attached to each possible outcome.

I haven't read any advocates of Molinism, but (as I understand it) Molinists posit "counterfactuals of freedom" which are really, not only all possible choices, but all possible choices in all possible universes. I am not sure whether they try to make the last leap from the highest probability outcome to true "foreknowledge" or not. Is that the source of your thesis? Do you know any more?

28 posted on 02/05/2004 8:45:04 PM PST by winstonchurchill
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To: winstonchurchill
It is a somewhat mechanistic view of foreknowledge but I would throw in God's perfect knowledge of human nature and free will.

I know if my kid wants a cookie and I tell her no, wait until later, in two minutes I will catch her with a half eaten cookie. I've only been around for a few decades and I can barely make a decent breakfast. God's been around for eternity and made the universe. Maybe our understanding is at best too limited to grasp Him. I know, that's an old one.
30 posted on 02/05/2004 9:16:28 PM PST by TradicalRC (While the wicked stand confounded, Call me, with thy saints surrounded. -The Boondock Saints)
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