From: utzoo!watmath!pcmcgeer
Newsgroups: net.misc
Title: determinism vs free will
Article-I.D.: watmath.3150
Posted: Fri Jul 30 17:00:43 1982
Received: Sat Jul 31 00:09:14 1982

	This argument is beginning to resemble one of the more abstruse of
medieval theological discussions.  I can play, too.  I say five angels can
stand on the head of a pin, four if one or more has been doing rather too
well on the manna recently.
	Otherwise, has anyone thought that questions of free will vs
determinism are meaningless?  First, note that determinism requires a god.
Then note that any God capable of creating the Universe is capable of
predicting any decision we make and predicting the way His Own Dice fall.
Therefore, such a God can permit us free will.  Therefore, it's easy to
have both determinism and free will.
	Note, incidentally, that the question resolves itself nicely.  If
you are an atheist, you clearly believe in Free Will.  If you are an
agnostic, you're confused (sorry, can't help everyone).  If you are a
Christian, it doesn't matter.  The Jewish or Moslem faiths presumably solve
the problem as easily, I wouldn't know.

					Cheers,
						Rick McGeer.