What Is the Will? Key Terms Explained | Jonathan Edwards

An episode of the Reformed Thinking podcast, hosted by Edison Wu, titled "What Is the Will? Key Terms Explained | Jonathan Edwards" was published on March 31, 2026 and runs 31 minutes.

March 31, 2026 ·31m · Reformed Thinking

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Summary

Deep Dive into Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards - Wherein Are Explained and Stated Various Terms and Things Belonging to the Subject of the Ensuing DiscourseJonathan Edwards examines the human will, defining it as the distinct faculty by which the mind chooses or refuses anything. He asserts that willing is fundamentally the same as preferring, and that the will and human desire never genuinely contradict one another when focused on the exact same immediate object.Edwards posits that the will is always determined by the strongest motive present in the mind's view. A motive’s strength relies on how agreeable or pleasing an object appears to the individual, meaning the will constantly chooses what it perceives as the greatest apparent good. This perception of agreeableness is influenced by the apparent nature of the object, the expected pleasure or pain, the proximity of the outcome, and the specific state or temper of the viewing mind.To clarify theological and philosophical arguments, Edwards defines necessity and inability. He explains that philosophical necessity is merely a fixed connection between a subject and its predicate, rather than a force opposing human endeavor. He strictly distinguishes between natural necessity, which arises from natural and physical causes, and moral necessity, which results from strong habits, dispositions, or moral motives. Consequently, moral inability is not a physical barrier, but simply a lack of inclination or the presence of a prevailing contrary motive. Natural inability, however, means a person cannot perform an action even if they sincerely will it.Finally, Edwards defines liberty as the power or opportunity for an agent to do as they please, completely free from external hindrance. He rejects the opposing notion that true liberty requires the will to be completely self-determining or free from prior causes. Instead, moral agency simply requires a moral faculty, understanding, and the capacity to act upon chosen moral inducements.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerSpotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdwhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730

Episode Description

Deep Dive into Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards - Wherein Are Explained and Stated Various Terms and Things Belonging to the Subject of the Ensuing Discourse

Jonathan Edwards examines the human will, defining it as the distinct faculty by which the mind chooses or refuses anything. He asserts that willing is fundamentally the same as preferring, and that the will and human desire never genuinely contradict one another when focused on the exact same immediate object.

Edwards posits that the will is always determined by the strongest motive present in the mind's view. A motive’s strength relies on how agreeable or pleasing an object appears to the individual, meaning the will constantly chooses what it perceives as the greatest apparent good. This perception of agreeableness is influenced by the apparent nature of the object, the expected pleasure or pain, the proximity of the outcome, and the specific state or temper of the viewing mind.

To clarify theological and philosophical arguments, Edwards defines necessity and inability. He explains that philosophical necessity is merely a fixed connection between a subject and its predicate, rather than a force opposing human endeavor. He strictly distinguishes between natural necessity, which arises from natural and physical causes, and moral necessity, which results from strong habits, dispositions, or moral motives. Consequently, moral inability is not a physical barrier, but simply a lack of inclination or the presence of a prevailing contrary motive. Natural inability, however, means a person cannot perform an action even if they sincerely will it.

Finally, Edwards defines liberty as the power or opportunity for an agent to do as they please, completely free from external hindrance. He rejects the opposing notion that true liberty requires the will to be completely self-determining or free from prior causes. Instead, moral agency simply requires a moral faculty, understanding, and the capacity to act upon chosen moral inducements.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainer

Spotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdw

https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730