Jaina Concept of Omniscience

SR No.: 001547
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramjee Singh
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 258
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Knowledge
File Size: 17 MB

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CONCLUSION
This kind of objection against unqualified omniscience is also found in Christian theology dealing with divine omnis, science. 38 If God is omniscient, no human action is free. St. Augustine says “ If you say, God foreknows that a man will sin, he must necessarily sin. But if there is necessity there is no voluntary choice of sinning but rather fixed and unavoidable necessity"34 So also Locke says: “If God exists and is (essentially) omniscient, no human action is voluntary."95
Now, one may say, if we apply the concept of omniscience to human beings, the results will be all the more devastating. But it may be pointed out that "God compels no man to sin, though he sees beforehand those who are going to sin by their own will.”20 Hence, God's omniscience cannot entail determinism. For instance, an intimate friend can have foreknowledge of another's voluntary actions, but it does not in any way affect his moral freedom.
But this does not seem to be a very good argument. A person's knowledge about the future action, of an intimate
23 Vide, Old Testainent. It speaks of God's knowledge of future acts, so
"God knows the course of action which would be pursued in any given contingency". See, I Samuel, 23. 27-28: 23. 9-13; Jeremie, 38. 17-23; 42.1.22; cp. John Calvin's statement : " when God created man, He foresaw what would happen concerning bim"-Institutes of Christian Religion, Book II, Ch. XX ; St. Augustine's remarks: "For to confess that God exists and the sam: tin: io deny that He has foreknowledge of future things is the most manifest folly...one who is not perscieat of all future things is not God." (City of God, Bk. V,
Sec. 9); See also W. Paley's Natural Theology, Ch. XXIV. 24 St. Augustine, The City of God, Book V. Sec. 9. 25 John Locke, Essays Concerning Hunan Understanding, Book IV, Chap.
XXI, Sec. 8-11; cp. Boethius' statement : "If God is omniscient, no human action is voluntary " - Consolatio Philosophiae, Part V. Sec. III).
26
St. Augustine, "De Liber) Arbitrio". co. Fiedrich Schleiermacher. The Christian Faith, Part I, Sec. 2, para. 55.