An Examination of President Edwards' Inquiry into the Freedom of the Will. Albert Taylor Bledsoe

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      Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4064066172909

Table of Contents

       SECTION I.

       OF THE POINT IN CONTROVERSY.

       SECTION II.

       OF EDWARDS’ USE OF THE TERM CAUSE.

       SECTION III.

       THE INQUIRY INVOLVED IN A VICIOUS CIRCLE.

       SECTION IV.

       VOLITION NOT AN EFFECT.

       SECTION V.

       OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF REGARDING VOLITION AS AN EFFECT.

       SECTION VI.

       OF THE MAXIM THAT EVERY EFFECT MUST HAVE A CAUSE.

       SECTION VII.

       OF THE APPLICATION OF THE MAXIM THAT EVERY EFFECT MUST HAVE A CAUSE.

       SECTION VIII.

       OF THE RELATION BETWEEN THE FEELINGS AND THE WILL.

       SECTION IX.

       OF THE LIBERTY OF INDIFFERENCE.

       SECTION X.

       OF ACTION AND PASSION.

       SECTION XI.

       OF THE ARGUMENT FROM THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

       SECTION XII.

       OF EDWARDS’ USE OF THE TERM NECESSITY.

       SECTION XIII.

       OF NATURAL AND MORAL NECESSITY.

       SECTION XIV.

       OF EDWARDS’ IDEA OF LIBERTY.

       SECTION XV.

       OF EDWARDS’ IDEA OF VIRTUE.

       SECTION XVI.

       OF THE SELF-DETERMINING POWER.

       SECTION XVII.

       OF THE DEFINITION OF A FREE AGENT.

       SECTION XVIII.

       OF THE TESTIMONY OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

SECTION I.

       Table of Contents

OF THE POINT IN CONTROVERSY.

       Table of Contents

      It is worse than a waste of time, it is a grievous offence against the cause of truth, to undertake to refute an author without having taken pains to understand exactly what he teaches. In every discussion, the first thing to be settled is the point in dispute; and if this be omitted, the controversy must needs degenerate into a mere idle logomachy. It seldom happens that any thing affords so much satisfaction, or throws so much light on a controversy, as to have the point at issue clearly made up, and constantly borne in mind.

      What then, is the precise doctrine of the Inquiry which I intend to oppose? The great question is, says Edwards, what determines the will. It is taken for granted, on all sides, that the will is determined; and the only point is, or rather has been, as to what determines it. It is determined by the strongest motive, says one; it is not determined by the strongest motive, says another. But although the issue is thus made up in general terms, it is very far from being settled with any tolerable degree of clearness and СКАЧАТЬ