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Question: Aristotle said God does not act with free will, and that the universe is governed by necessity
Why did he say this!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I was going to use my own words, but you other people make it so easy to answer with a paste!. The question is not "Is Aristotle's observation important in today's world!?" The question is: Why did he say it!? So I'm pasting!.
http://plato!.stanford!.edu/entries/maimon!.!.!.

The historical Aristotle did argue that the world is eternal and that whatever is eternal is necessary [On Generation and Corruption 338a1–4, Physics 203b 29, Metaphysics 1050b8–15]!. His medieval followers took this to mean that while the world is ontologically dependent on God, there is no moment when it first comes to be and therefore does not owe its existence to a decision to create!. As we might say, it exists not because of anything God does but simply because of what God is!. Because God's nature does not change, according to this position, neither does the existence or fundamental structure of the world!. The most important consequence of this view is that God does not exercise free choice, which is to say that according to the Aristotelian alternative, the world is governed by necessity!.
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In God's act of creating life, He is excercising free will!. There's a state of God that is a void where He may or may not begin life, and whether He does or doesn't begin life doesn't depend on anything, life is just a whim of His!. However life does begin and the first form He creates is opposite to his infinity and other characteristics, and He assumes a most finite form!. From then on out, life is a necessity, but only on the physical plane!. It's a necessary existence since the physical plane has to exist for the evolution of consciousness and everything that goes in it or leaves is done so out of necessity automatically to sustain consciousness!. Therefore on this plane God has no free will and life evolves out of God's unconsciousness mechanically and automatically!. Other, higher planes of life are different in levels of Truth, so the next plane beyond our plane of necessity is a plane where life is a possibility Then beyond that is still another world where life is a negativity of existence where God as reality can be seen to exist revealing life to be an illusion!. Then beyond that existence is just pure consciousness, or Reality, which is the unitarian state of existence where life is non-existent and only God exist!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Aristotle thought that God was perfect!. Or to put it more technically, Aristotle thought that God was pure actuality!. Thus, God had no potentiality--therefore God cannot change!. Which is fine for God, since he was perfect from the get-go!. Thus, it would be incorrect to say that God's choices were determined by necessity, since God can't make choices!. Making a choice would require change, which would have indicated that God wasn't perfect in the first place, and would require God to possess potentiality (i!.e!., the potential to make a choice)!.
So yes God has no free will, because he cannot make a choice!.!.!. or do anything else for that matter (except set the universe in motion, but even that didn't involve any change)!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

In short, everything (chemical/physical reaction; symbiotic relationship; evolutionary progression; social progress; individual motive) is not "free" in that it is not "Erratic"; it is, at best, a convolution of contingencies and causalities!. The notion of "free will" is mired in ambiguity; and it is not to say that, if one has choices, therefore they have free will--i!.e!., "free will" is not equivalent to "choices"!. Free will, in its truest sense, would be erratic and aimless!.

All things have instinct or reason (or aim) towards an end!. "God", as the scheme of nature, epitomizes this synergy en masse--in the way all things worked (in the "system" of the universe)!.

I think he said this to render our understanding of the universe in a sort of causal way: a system of levers and pulleys--not some spontaneous, free acting agent for forces and powers!.

Perhaps this thread of thought is in line with the scientist that was he--methodical!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Aristotle said a lot of things that proved to not be true or relevant over two thousand years later!. He was a progressive thinker for his time, but times have changed!. What may or may not have been true then, has little to do with the truth now!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Aristotle was wrong and he said so many things that make no sense to me!. I only wish he was alive and participating in this section!. I would have reported him and forced him to move to the women's health section!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

my brother,i also think god never work by a free will,he had made a system according to which this universe work and he himself is governed by some laws of himself,he cant do anything by his own wish!.

god bless you brotherWww@QuestionHome@Com

!.!.!.he didn't !.!.!.his followers did!.!.!.therefore promoting false Aristotelian thought!.!.!.
!.!.!.the man knew what he was talking about!.!.!.minus GOD!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

He was always ahead of his time!. Necessity means evolution!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't remember him saying that, and I took good notes!.Www@QuestionHome@Com