The Celebrated Transcendence: al-Māturīdī’s Resolution of the Determinist-Libertarian Dichotomy regarding Human Free Will

Authors : Kayhan Özaykal

Pages : 1-36

Doi:10.26650/di.2024.35.1.1350629

View : 88 | Download : 68

Publication Date : 2024-06-07

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article attempts to systematically set out al-Māturīdī’s theory of free will and human action. To this end, firstly, a presentation is given of his refutations of both his main rivals, determinists and libertarians, as represented by the Jabriyya and Muʿtazila, respectively. The following section then presents those arguments al-Māturīdī offers in direct support his own theory. These arguments are discussed in terms of different possible interpretations and are used as the basis for an analysis of his theory that maps out its overall framework by listing its main concepts and principles. By this means, key terms such as power and free will, as denoted chiefly by the Arabic terms qudra and quwwa, and ikhtiyār, are clarified. In the third and final section of this study, questions regarding the specifics of al-Māturīdī’s theory of human agency in relation to divine creation are addressed, and some problems are identified as fundamental. A resolution is undertaken with aid from Aristotle’s metaphysics and J.L. Mackie’s analysis of causation in order to determine exactly what human power consists of and how it relates to the effects with which al-Māturīdī says it is connected.
Keywords : Kelam, Teoloji, Hür İrade, Eşzamancılık, Cebriyye Determinizm, İhtiyariyye Liberteryenizm, Mâturîdî, Muʿtezile

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