Foreknowledge versus Pre-existential-Knowledge

[Linux]

The classical concept of God describes a being who knows everything that has happened and everything that ever will happen because his knowledge is perfect and thus has no potential in it.

Thus the question arises as to what one means by foreknowledge and whether or not it is actually possible for a being to have such knowledge?

1. If by foreknowledge one means that God is ontologically and timelessly present to all existential truth, then i can accept that as a rational concept since if God is timeless or an unmoved non-physical being he cannot be contained within the limits of physical law. Also, although potentially confusing, it is understandable that we describe this as foreknowledge because that’s how it would appear from our relative perspective in time.
2. However, if by foreknowledge one means that God knows what does not yet exist, i cannot accept that as a rational concept. This is what i mean by Pre-existential-Knowledge. Out of nothing comes nothing and so it is impossible for God to know what is not yet real. Rather God only knows what has already happened from his timeless point of view. He does not know what will happen, because God’s knowledge of actually real events is already complete and cannot be added to and thus it is meaningless to speak of a future from God’s perspective. God cannot see a non-existent future.

I reject Pre-existential-Knowledge.

 

[Linux]

As a side thread, the idea of timeless knowledge is interesting since it would seem that God has actual knowledge of you in heaven as we speak (assuming you will go there). Its not something that will happen for God, but rather it is something that has already happened and is actually present in the “eternal-now”.

 

[bzkoss236]

The classical concept of God describes a being who knows everything that has happened and everything that ever will happen because his knowledge is perfect and thus has no potential in it.

Thus the question arises as to what one means by foreknowledge and whether or not it is actually possible for a being to have such knowledge?

1. If by foreknowledge one means that God is ontologically and timelessly present to all existential truth, then i can accept that as a rational concept since if God is timeless or an unmoved non-physical being he cannot be contained within the limits of physical law. Also, although potentially confusing, it is understandable that we describe this as foreknowledge because that’s how it would appear from our relative perspective in time.
2. However, if by foreknowledge one means that God knows what does not yet exist, i cannot accept that as a rational concept. This is what i mean by Pre-existential-Knowledge. Out of nothing comes nothing and so it is impossible for God to know what is not yet real. Rather God only knows what has already happened from his timeless point of view. He does not know what will happen, because God’s knowledge of actually real events is already complete and cannot be added to and thus it is meaningless to speak of a future from God’s perspective. God cannot see a non-existent future.

I reject Pre-existential-Knowledge.

As a side thread, the idea of timeless knowledge is interesting since it would seem that God has actual knowledge of you in heaven as we speak (assuming you will go there). Its not something that will happen for God, but rather it is something that has already happened and is actually present in the “eternal-now”.

Per my understanding, #1 and Yes. God is timeless and knows us in heaven “now”. Though the concept of “now” is a time concept, so I don’t know a better word rather than “now”, or “moment”.

 

[ilikepizza1]

So you reject an A-theory of time?

 

[Bahman]

The classical concept of God describes a being who knows everything that has happened and everything that ever will happen because his knowledge is perfect and thus has no potential in it.

Thus the question arises as to what one means by foreknowledge and whether or not it is actually possible for a being to have such knowledge?

1. If by foreknowledge one means that God is ontologically and timelessly present to all existential truth, then i can accept that as a rational concept since if God is timeless or an unmoved non-physical being he cannot be contained within the limits of physical law. Also, although potentially confusing, it is understandable that we describe this as foreknowledge because that’s how it would appear from our relative perspective in time.
2. However, if by foreknowledge one means that God knows what does not yet exist, i cannot accept that as a rational concept. This is what i mean by Pre-existential-Knowledge. Out of nothing comes nothing and so it is impossible for God to know what is not yet real. Rather God only knows what has already happened from his timeless point of view. He does not know what will happen, because God’s knowledge of actually real events is already complete and cannot be added to and thus it is meaningless to speak of a future from God’s perspective. God cannot see a non-existent future.

I reject Pre-existential-Knowledge.

Everything depends on how do you define free will. Pre-existential-Knowledge is possible if God knows the outcome of our decisions in every possible situations, whether those situations come true as the result of our action or not, otherwise it is false.

 

[ventura2323]

The classical concept of God describes a being who knows everything that has happened and everything that ever will happen because his knowledge is perfect and thus has no potential in it.

Thus the question arises as to what one means by foreknowledge and whether or not it is actually possible for a being to have such knowledge?

1. If by foreknowledge one means that God is ontologically and timelessly present to all existential truth, then i can accept that as a rational concept since if God is timeless or an unmoved non-physical being he cannot be contained within the limits of physical law. Also, although potentially confusing, it is understandable that we describe this as foreknowledge because that’s how it would appear from our relative perspective in time.
2. However, if by foreknowledge one means that God knows what does not yet exist, i cannot accept that as a rational concept. This is what i mean by Pre-existential-Knowledge. Out of nothing comes nothing and so it is impossible for God to know what is not yet real. Rather God only knows what has already happened from his timeless point of view. He does not know what will happen, because God’s knowledge of actually real events is already complete and cannot be added to and thus it is meaningless to speak of a future from God’s perspective. God cannot see a non-existent future.

I reject Pre-existential-Knowledge.

God has already seen the future. How can God be limited when He is all knowing and always will be.
His predictions for the future is spelling out in what is happening in the world now.
Can’t you see that?