Exploring Mormon Thought

We discuss arguments for infallible foreknowledge being compatible or incompatible with libertarian free will. We come up with a logical argument for the incompatibility of free will and infallible foreknowledge and discuss the assumptions of each premise.

Topics Discussed:

• An unsound Argument for Incompatibility

• Argument A

• A Sound Argument for Incompatibilism from the Necessity of the Past

• Argument B

• Some Clearly Unsuccessful Attempts to Escape Incompatibility

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In this episode we go over the second part of Ch 5: Models of Divine Knowledge. We talk about Middle Knowledge and Joseph Smith's evolving view of God's knowledge. We discuss James E. Talmage's view of God knowing our character so well that he can know the future and problems with that.

Topics Discussed:

• Middle Knowledge

• Problems of Middle Knowledge

• No Grounds Objection

• Counterfactuals of Freedom Are Probable Only

• The "Agents Are Not Free" Objection

• Mormonism and Middle Knowledge

We start discussing different models for God's knowledge. We focus on the aspect of God's knowledge of the future or infallible foreknowledge and if it can coexist with free will.

Topics Discussed:

• Simple Foreknowledge

• Timeless Knowledge Through Perception

• The Einstein-Minkowski Spacetime

• Timeless Knowledge Through Divine Causation

We go over various theories of God's power and then come to a definition that seems to fit. We then address problems with that view and see if they can be overcome while keeping the definition intact.

Topics Discussed:

• Logical Limitations on God's Power

• Limitations on God's Power Arising from Divine Attributes

• Limitations on God's Power Imposed by Significant Human Freedom

• Past Necessity and God's Power

• Problems for Omnipotence

• Persuasive and Coercive Power

• God's Power and Natural Laws

• God's Power and Creation

Continuing our survey of Mormon systematic Theologies we discuss the thought of the Pratts, John A. Widtsoe, B.H. Roberts, and Modern Mormon leaders. We talk about why they portrayed things as they did and what some strengths and weaknesses of each view are.

Pratt's 'The Seer': https://archive.org/details/seereditedbyorso01unse

Widtsoe's 'A Rational Theology': https://archive.org/details/rationaltheologywidtsoe

B.H. Roberts' 'The Seventy's Course in Theology': https://archive.org/details/seventyscoursein00robe

We discuss The Lectures on Faith and Joseph Smith's evolving revelations on the nature of God, man, the universe, and how they relate to each other. We get into discussing different interpretations of the King Follett Discourse and The Sermon in the Grove.

The Lectures on Faith can be found here: http://lecturesonfaith.com/

King Follett Discourse:

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1971/04/the-king-follett-sermon?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1971/05/the-king-follett-sermon?lang=eng

Sermon in the Grove: http://emp.byui.edu/jexj/courses/sermon_in_the_grove.htm

Topics Discussed:

The Lectures on Faith

Joseph Smith and the Foundational Scriptures

We discuss Process Thought/Theology, developed by Alfred N. Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne, and juxtapose it with the previously discussed Thomist/Classical Theism view. We also examine the striking similarities between Process Thought and Joseph Smith's revelations.

Topics Discussed:

Relative Perfection

Perfect Relatedness

Potentiality

Proportional Dependence

Complexity

Temporality

Mutability and Immutability

Passibility

Creator By Organizing

Maximal Persuasive Power

Maximal Knowledge

For show notes go to: http://www.exploringmormonthought.com/2017/05/in-this-episode-we-discuss-process.html

We discuss how concepts of perfection from Platonism/Neo-Platonism heavily influenced early Christian thought on God's attributes. We then discuss the Absolutist system developed largely by Augustine and articulated by Thomas Aquinas. We bring up issues with the 'God' that arises when you follow this system to its logical conclusions.

Topics discussed:

Confluence of Greek Philosophy and Christian Theology

Emergence of the Absolutist Tradition in Christian Theology

The Logic of Absolute Independence

Pure Actuality

Divine Simplicity

Immutability

Timeless Eternity

Aseity

Impassibility

Omniscience

Omnipotence

Part 2 of the First chapter in The Attributes of God.

We go over the following topics:

Subordinate "Gods"

Apotheosis: Human Gods

“God” as a Relationship of Unity Among a Plurality of Persons

God and Perfection

God and Possible Worlds

Part 1 of the First chapter in The Attributes of God.

We go over the following topics:

The Meaning of "God" In Mormon Discourse

Attribute and Essence

Is "God" a Title or a Name?

God and Monotheism

The Divine Thou