T
tonyrey
Guest
Don’t materialists believe physical causality applies to all human activity?To regard ourselves as the product of previous events implies that our decisions are not made by us. They are not based on who we are but what we are. According to materialists we are no more than links in a chain
Again, you fail to see my point.In your scheme of things persons don’t count because persons don’t exist! They are legal fictions and nothing more than atomic particles. There is no such thing as “you” or “I”. The mind is merely brain activity and every single event is determined by things because everything consists of things! Materialists can’t have it both ways…Do we lose our identity when we make a decision? There is a difference between changing and causing change. Not to intervene is a sign of impotence, ignorance or indifference, all of which are defects incompatible with divinity.
You have ignored every one of my statements, belorg. Do you reject them, accept them or are you undecided?
You have again evaded the question. Do we **lose **our identity when we make decisions?If not to intervene is the result of not being able to change oneself, then it is only a sign of impotence if not being able to change oneself is a sign of impotence, which, according to Thomism, it is not.
Is whether we are composed solely of atomic particles is completely irrelevant to the way we behave?Materialism has nothing whatsoever to do with this.
Deism is incoherent in its arbitrary dilution of divine power for no reason whatsoever. To create the universe is hardly a sign of impotence!No, I am not. But deism is far more coherent than theism. Not coherent enough, for my taste, though.