G1 If compatibilism is true, then
determinism is true.
G2 If determinism is true, then no
human possesses the libertarian freedom to ever think otherwise.
G3 If one does not ever possess
the libertarian freedom to think otherwise then he cannot rationally affirm
knowledge claims.
G4 Some Calvinists have rationally
affirmed that compatibilism is true.
G5 Therefore, it is possible to
rationally affirm knowledge claims.
G6 Therefore, some Calvinists
possess the libertarian freedom to think otherwise.
G7 Therefore, determinism and compatibilism
are false.
This logical argument provides
good reason for a rational thinker to reject compatibilism. Yet compatibilists
continue to claim that a person can still be free and/or responsible even
though everything about him is ultimately always causally determined by
God, and he never could have actually chosen to think, believe, or
behave otherwise. . . . the compatibilist cannot rationally affirm or justify
any of his beliefs as objectively better or worse than a competing belief—for even
the evaluations of his own thoughts and beliefs will also be determined by his
greatest desires! Therefore, the Edwardsian compatibility cannot ever possess knowledge
that a specific belief is good, bad, better, or worse (let alone true) than a
competing belief. His belief (even if true) is not justified and thus, does not
count as a knowledge claim. It follows that if the compatibilist really has
rationally inferred that compatibilism is a better explanation than
libertarianism, then his view of Edwardsian compatibilism must be false. As a
result, the compatibilist has inadvertently defeated his project by way of his
project. Ultimately, according to the Edwardsian compatibilist, the only reason
he has chosen to reject libertarian freedom is because he has a “greater desire”
for exhaustive divine determinism (EDD) to be true. That is not a good
(rational) reason to believe anything. Subjective personal preference is vastly
different than selecting a view based on objective truth. (Timothy A. Stratton,
Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism: A Biblical, Historical,
Theological, and Philosophical Analysis [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock,
2020], 182-83, 184)
