Mere Machines and Edwards's Doctrine

Here is a great article entitled, “James D. Strauss' Critique of Jonathan Edwards' Freedom of the Will” by John Piper.

Here’s the link: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/1976/1481 It’s good in that there is some interaction on:

1. Motive as not the same as the mind’s judgment of it
2. Mechanistic view of Edwards’s philosophy

Here’s Edwards on why he does not believe his doctrine makes men no more than mere machines. Piper states that Strauss completely ignores this passage. If we come back to mechanism, it might be good to mark this section for conversation:

“As to the objection against the doctrine which I have endeavored to prove, that it makes men no more than mere machines; I would say, that not withstanding this doctrine, man is entirely, perfectly and unspeakably different from a mere machine, in that he has reason and understanding, and has a faculty of will, and so is capable of volition and choice; and in that his will is guided by the dictates or views of his understanding; and in that his external actions and behavior and in many respects also his thoughts, and the exercises of his mind, are subject to his will; so that he has liberty to act according to his choice, and do what he pleases; and by means of these things is capable of moral habits and moral acts... [FOTW, pp. 255-256].”