LessonsThe Universality of Divine Knowledge and Power: Classical ObjectionsQuiz

لَا كَمَا يَزْعُمُ الْفَلَاسِفَةُ مِنْ أَنَّهُ لَا يَعْلَمُ الْجُزْئِيَّاتِ
Contrary to the claim attributed to philosophers that God does not know particulars.

A particular is an individually determined fact—such as a named person's being in a room at a definite time. A universal is a general law or category, such as the species human.

Certain classical philosophical accounts were interpreted as restricting divine knowledge to universals. The reply is that knowledge of the general order does not justify ignorance of determinate occurrences; such ignorance is inconsistent with perfect knowledge.

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Particular events: the first disputed position

The Universality of Divine Knowledge and Power: Classical Objections

لَا كَمَا يَزْعُمُ الْفَلَاسِفَةُ مِنْ أَنَّهُ لَا يَعْلَمُ الْجُزْئِيَّاتِ
Contrary to the claim attributed to philosophers that God does not know particulars.

A particular is an individually determined fact—such as a named person's being in a room at a definite time. A universal is a general law or category, such as the species human.

Certain classical philosophical accounts were interpreted as restricting divine knowledge to universals. The reply is that knowledge of the general order does not justify ignorance of determinate occurrences; such ignorance is inconsistent with perfect knowledge.