(December 30, 2016 at 7:16 am)robvalue Wrote: I appreciate the response, but I'm not sure what more I can say without repeating myself. I'll think on itIt appears to me to be a problem of language and perspective.
I think it's interesting to consider "God" deciding whether or not to make his creations predictable. To decide whether or not they are a cause-and-effect machine, or able to alter the path that their reality takes.
I'd have thought the latter is more interesting.
I understand that this conversation can feel like we're talking in circles. Maybe some distinctions would help?:
If a subject contributes in some way to the 'determination' of its object (or actions directed to obtaining that object), then that subject 'chooses' the object (or action). The quality/degree of the subject's contribution will tell us about the quality of the subject's 'choice' (i.e. necessary/contingent, free, 'meaningful', etc.).
If a subject does not contribute to the 'determination' of its object, then that subject DOES NOT choose the object. Instead, the subject's actions are determined entirely by other objects (and, therefore, not the subject).
What do we think of that?
