Randomness and God’s Nature Cover Image

Losowość i natura Boga
Randomness and God’s Nature

Author(s): James Bradley
Subject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Instytut Filozofii, Uniwersytet Zielonogórski
Keywords: ontological randomness; epistemic randomness; God’s attributes; omnipotence; omniscience; omnipresence; purpose; sovereignty; foreknowledge; causality

Summary/Abstract: Observations of apparently random phenomena are commonplace in science. However, randomness and Christian belief are often seen as incompatible, both by naturalists and by theists. This article argues that the scientific concept of randomness and the historic Christian understanding of God’s nature are compatible. It argues that the existence of randomness cannot be settled scientifically; nevertheless, it clarifies randomness as a mathematical concept, argues that it provides a plausible interpretation of scientific data, and argues that its existence is consistent with God’s nature as it is commonly understood by systematic theologians.

  • Issue Year: 2014
  • Issue No: 11
  • Page Range: 205-240
  • Page Count: 36
Toggle Accessibility Mode