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To: Mad Dawg
Free will is the ability to know the good, to choose it, and to do it. Now may I clean the erasers?

Only good? So those with Free Will cannot do Evil?

Your definition is lacking. Try again?

4,991 posted on 09/15/2010 5:11:24 AM PDT by Christian_Capitalist (Taxation over 10% is Tyranny -- 1 Samuel 8:17)
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To: Christian_Capitalist
Your definition is lacking. Try again?

That there is a disagreement between my definition and that of others does not in itself prove that my definition is the one that is lacking.

It is based on the notion that no one freely chooses evil, knowing it to be evil. Just as the vices are not "existents" in themselves but defects in virtue, so a choice to do evil is not a choice but a defect in choosing.

It is the nominalist view that the will sort of stands back from the choice between good and evil and mutters, "Hmm, what to do, what to do?" (I don't mean that because it's nominalist it's wrong. I'm just distinguishing.)

A nominalist would say God is not free to do evil. A Realist would say God is utterly free and therefore he does the good.

5,017 posted on 09/15/2010 7:41:50 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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