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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 5 page paper presents a discussion of Augustine's thoughts about free will. The paper discusses this specific premise: "The creature who sins with free will is more excellent than the creature who does not sin because he has no free will." The writer then incorporates these questions in the discussion: Why does Augustine make this kind of statement? What are his underlying assumptions? Are the assumptions always true? What problems emanate from assumptions and how would Augustine respond to the problems? Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MM12_PGaugswl.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
Augustine said that free will was enough in itself for doing evil but it was not enough in itself for doing good (St. Augustine, n.d.). The first man created did
not have that grace but he did have free will (St. Augustine, n.d.). To always do good, Adam needed only to ask for assistance from God but he chose not
to (St. Augustine, n.d.). Augustine goes on to say that the first man did not need the grace because he was created with goodness but as soon as he sinned
against God, he no longer deserved the goodness that God had given him (St. Augustine, n.d.). This was the original sin and all humanity since needs assistance from the Spirit
to do good (St. Augustine, n.d.). The questions raised in discussions of free will and sin tend to focus on Gods omniscience - if God is omniscient, how can man
have free will? If God is omnipotent, why does evil even exist? (Anderson, n.d.). Augustine said that evil is the absence of good and it is the consequence of misdirected
or disordered love (Anderson, n.d.). Humans attach more importance to things than they do to God and that is misdirected love (Anderson, n.d.). God knew that humans would use their
free will for evil but He also knew that good would emerge through His Grace (Anderson, n.d.). "God knows people will sin" and they will do so as a result
of the free will He has given to them (Anderson, n.d.). Humans have choices every minute, that is what free will is about. Following along Augustines thoughts, the only way
humans can act on their free will to do good is by asking for help from God. Thus, their free will extends to the core of being righteous. Lacking free
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