Genuine Surprise and Regret in an All-Knowing Being

Introduction

The question of whether an all-knowing being, such as the God posited by monotheistic religions, can experience genuine surprise or regret is a complex and thought-provoking one. While omniscience implies exhaustive knowledge, particularly concerning past, present, and future events, it does not immediately negate the possibility of emotional reactions like surprise or regret. This article examines various philosophical and theological perspectives to assess if an all-knowing being can indeed experience these emotions.

Background

The concept of an all-knowing being is often associated with monotheistic religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These traditions commonly attribute omniscience to God, implying that He has comprehensive knowledge of all things past, present, and future. The debate surrounding whether an all-knowing being can experience genuine surprise or regret revolves around the implications of this attribute.

Philosophical Perspectives

Surprise

  1. Determinism: Under determinism, every event is causally determined by prior states of affairs, thus making all events predictable with sufficient knowledge. If an all-knowing being is aware of the initial conditions and natural laws governing creation, it would also know the outcome of any given situation.

  2. Indeterminism: Contrary to determinism, indeterminism posits that some events are not entirely determined by preceding causes but happen due to chance or randomness. In this view, an all-knowing being might experience surprise if certain events unfold in unpredictable ways.

Regret

  1. Immutable Being: Some argue that God, as an immutable and unchanging being, cannot undergo emotional changes like regret. According to this position, since omniscience includes perfect knowledge of future outcomes, God would not have any reason to regret His actions or decisions.

  2. Divine Simplicity: Advocates of divine simplicity assert that God is a simple, indivisible reality without parts or composition. In this perspective, emotions such as surprise and regret are incompatible with the nature of an all-knowing being who lacks complexity or differentiation.

Theological Perspectives

  1. Biblical Evidence: Some proponents point to specific instances in sacred texts where God appears to express regret or change His mind regarding decisions. For example, in Genesis 6:6-7, it is written that the Lord was grieved by humanity’s wickedness and later decided to wipe them out with a flood.

  2. Augustine’s Perspective: Saint Augustine suggested that apparent instances of divine surprise or regret found in Scripture should be understood metaphorically rather than literally. According to him, these passages merely present God in human terms so that humans can comprehend His actions better.

Counterarguments and Rebuttals

  1. Compatibilism: Compatibilists argue that determinism and free will are not mutually exclusive but compatible. Consequently, an all-knowing being could possess exhaustive knowledge about future events without eliminating the possibility of experiencing genuine surprise or regret based on unforeseen developments.

  2. Middle Knowledge: Some theologians propose that God has middle knowledge, which allows Him to know how individuals would act under various circumstances even though He never changes His mind. This perspective might reconcile the seemingly paradoxical notions of divine omniscience and human freedom, enabling genuine emotional reactions like surprise or regret.

Conclusion

The question of whether an all-knowing being can experience genuine surprise or regret remains a matter of debate among philosophers and theologians. While determinism and divine simplicity seem to rule out such emotions for an all-knowing entity, indeterminism, compatibilism, and middle knowledge offer alternative views that potentially allow room for them. Ultimately, the resolution may depend on one’s philosophical commitments and theological interpretations.

References

  • Augustine of Hippo. (397-410). “Confessions.” Translated by F.J. Sheed.
  • Aquinas, T. (1265-1274). “Summa Theologica.” English translation by Fathers of the English Dominican Province.

Keywords

Omniscience, surprise, regret, determinism, indeterminism, compatibilism, middle knowledge, divine simplicity, immutability, philosophy, theology.