Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free Will

The relationship between the free will and the philosophical rule of "causal determinism" is one of the issues that have been the subject of controversy among Islamic thinkers, theologians, and philosophers. Well-known Islamic scholars do not consider causal determinism in conflict with th...

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Main Authors: Keygobad Daneshian Kenanlu, Seyed Ebrahim Aghazadeh, Tavakkol Kouhi Giglou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Tabriz, Faculty of Literature and Forigen Languages 2021-08-01
Series:Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Subjects:
Online Access:https://philosophy.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_13322_5f5a0f81aaafbff4b587553e88eecd1a.pdf
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author Keygobad Daneshian Kenanlu
Seyed Ebrahim Aghazadeh
Tavakkol Kouhi Giglou
author_facet Keygobad Daneshian Kenanlu
Seyed Ebrahim Aghazadeh
Tavakkol Kouhi Giglou
author_sort Keygobad Daneshian Kenanlu
collection DOAJ
description The relationship between the free will and the philosophical rule of "causal determinism" is one of the issues that have been the subject of controversy among Islamic thinkers, theologians, and philosophers. Well-known Islamic scholars do not consider causal determinism in conflict with this rational and necessary law, but some theologians, including Al-Ghazâlî have considered it contrary to the free will. Therefore, the focus of this research is to study and research the works of the prominent thinker of the Islamic world and the great Ash'arite (/æʃəˈriː/; Arabic: أشعریة‎ al-ʾAšʿarīyah or ٱلْأَشَاعِرَة al-ʾAšāʿirah) theologian (Al-Ghazâlî) to study and evaluate his theological thought about the relation of the free will and causal determinism. In this article, after explaining the concepts of the free will, causal determinism and will, the basic motives for denying causality in Ghazali's intellectual system have been examined. In general, it turns out that Ash'arite thought has overshadowed all of Al-Ghazâlî's theories and has led to his various orientations in all matters, including the free will. According to Al-Ghazâlî, believing in the rule of causal necessity requires the limitation of divine power and the deprivation of human free will and the free agent and the compulsion of God in his actions. Therefore, in answer to the main question of the research, that is, from the point of view of Al-Ghazâlî, is it possible to combine the belief in the causal determinism and the free will the free agent or not? It can be said that in Al-Ghazâlî's thought, human free will cannot be combined with causal necessity or determinsm.
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spelling doaj.art-7d19e87d6274495f96106e2259dc600d2023-09-03T07:12:09ZengUniversity of Tabriz, Faculty of Literature and Forigen LanguagesJournal of Philosophical Investigations2251-79602423-44192021-08-011535658010.22034/jpiut.2021.46862.289213322Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free WillKeygobad Daneshian Kenanlu0Seyed Ebrahim Aghazadeh1Tavakkol Kouhi Giglou2PhD Candidate, Tabriz branch, Department of Islamic theology and philosophy, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz. Iran.Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic theology and philosophy, Tabriz branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz. IranAssistant Professor, Department of Islamic theology and philosophy, Ahar branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, IranThe relationship between the free will and the philosophical rule of "causal determinism" is one of the issues that have been the subject of controversy among Islamic thinkers, theologians, and philosophers. Well-known Islamic scholars do not consider causal determinism in conflict with this rational and necessary law, but some theologians, including Al-Ghazâlî have considered it contrary to the free will. Therefore, the focus of this research is to study and research the works of the prominent thinker of the Islamic world and the great Ash'arite (/æʃəˈriː/; Arabic: أشعریة‎ al-ʾAšʿarīyah or ٱلْأَشَاعِرَة al-ʾAšāʿirah) theologian (Al-Ghazâlî) to study and evaluate his theological thought about the relation of the free will and causal determinism. In this article, after explaining the concepts of the free will, causal determinism and will, the basic motives for denying causality in Ghazali's intellectual system have been examined. In general, it turns out that Ash'arite thought has overshadowed all of Al-Ghazâlî's theories and has led to his various orientations in all matters, including the free will. According to Al-Ghazâlî, believing in the rule of causal necessity requires the limitation of divine power and the deprivation of human free will and the free agent and the compulsion of God in his actions. Therefore, in answer to the main question of the research, that is, from the point of view of Al-Ghazâlî, is it possible to combine the belief in the causal determinism and the free will the free agent or not? It can be said that in Al-Ghazâlî's thought, human free will cannot be combined with causal necessity or determinsm.https://philosophy.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_13322_5f5a0f81aaafbff4b587553e88eecd1a.pdfthe free willcausal determinismgodal-ghazâlî
spellingShingle Keygobad Daneshian Kenanlu
Seyed Ebrahim Aghazadeh
Tavakkol Kouhi Giglou
Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free Will
Journal of Philosophical Investigations
the free will
causal determinism
god
al-ghazâ

title Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free Will
title_full Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free Will
title_fullStr Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free Will
title_full_unstemmed Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free Will
title_short Critique of Al-Ghazâlî's View on the Relationship between Determinism and The Free Will
title_sort critique of al ghazali s view on the relationship between determinism and the free will
topic the free will
causal determinism
god
al-ghazâ

url https://philosophy.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_13322_5f5a0f81aaafbff4b587553e88eecd1a.pdf
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