Array
(
    [fullTitle] => Do the Results of Divine Action Have Preceding Causes?
    [abstract] => If God brings about an event in the universe, does it have a preceding cause? For example, if the universe began with the Big Bang and if God brought it about, did the Big Bang then have a preceding cause? The standard answer is: yes, it was caused by a divine willing. I propose an alternative view: God’s actions, unlike human actions, are not initiated by willings, undertakings, or volitions, but God brings about the intended event directly. Presenting a solution to the dilemma of free will I explain what ‘bringing about directly’ means and show that the question of what an action begins with is distinct from the question whether it is a basic action.
    [authors] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [givenName] => Daniel
                    [affiliation] => International Academy of Philosophy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
                )

        )

    [keywords] => Array
        (
        )

    [doi] => 10.24204/ejpr.v3i2.400
    [datePublished] => 2011-09-23
    [pdf] => https://www.philosophy-of-religion.eu/menuscript/index.php/ejpr/article/view/400/version/344/371
)
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Do the Results of Divine Action Have Preceding Causes?

Daniel
International Academy of Philosophy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.v3i2.400

Abstract

If God brings about an event in the universe, does it have a preceding cause? For example, if the universe began with the Big Bang and if God brought it about, did the Big Bang then have a preceding cause? The standard answer is: yes, it was caused by a divine willing. I propose an alternative view: God’s actions, unlike human actions, are not initiated by willings, undertakings, or volitions, but God brings about the intended event directly. Presenting a solution to the dilemma of free will I explain what ‘bringing about directly’ means and show that the question of what an action begins with is distinct from the question whether it is a basic action.

Keywords:

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