Book V. Free will and God's foreknowledge.

Abstract

Ch. I. Boethius asks if there is really any such thing as chance. Philosophy answers, in conformity with Aristotle's definition (Phys., II. iv.), that chance is merely relative to human purpose, and that what seems fortuitous really depends on a more subtle form of causation.-Ch. II. Has man, then, any freedom, if the reign of law is thus absolute ? Freedom of choice, replies Philosophy, is a necessary attribute of reason. Man has a measure of freedom, though a less perfect freedom than divine natures.-Ch. III. But how can man's freedom be reconciled with God's absolute foreknowledge ? If God's foreknowledge be certain, it seems to exclude the possibility of man's free will. But * This is not, of course, literally true, though the Tigris and Euphrates rise in the same mountain district.

Eternity, knowledge, and freedom

“…It is more like being ‘present to the mind’ rather than present tense. As Boethius states it, eternity is ‘the simultaneous and complete possession of infinite life’; and an eternal being ‘must be ever present in itself to control and aid itself, and also must keep present with itself the infinity of changing time’ (Boethius (1902), 160–161).…”

The philosophy and social science of agape love.

“…Agape love is worth studying because, as a moral virtue, it challenges people to strive for betterment in their humanity. Virtue ethicists make a distinction between all people being equal in the sense that all have inherent worth (see, e.g., Kant, 1785/1993) and all people not being equal in terms of their growth in becoming fully developed as persons (see Kreeft, 1992, particularly page 45 and Boethius, 1999). As we will see, agape requires heroic commitment to the betterment of others.…”