Will Is a Human Attribute
Source note: This page summarizes explanatory audiovisual material. The book references provide nearby context and are not literal evidence; for precise citation, consult the original episode and book.
Formulation of the Claim
Shahrur says that will is an attribute God has bestowed specifically on human beings, not on angels or other creatures. Human will arises from thought and abstraction.
Explanation
Shahrur presents will as an essential element in the definition of the human being. Human beings are not limited to biological existence; they possess the ability to choose and the inclination toward action. This ability is connected to ideas—that is, to the abstract level of consciousness. Will thus becomes part of the basis for moral responsibility. Responsibility has no meaning without the ability to choose.
Its Place in the Episode’s Argument
This atom links epistemology to human moral and religious responsibility.
Limits of the Claim
It does not say that human beings create their will out of nothing, but that they have a distinctive sphere of will within creation.
Brief Witness
“Only the human being… this feature with which God has endowed the human being.”
Nearby Links
- Shahrur - Freedom
- Shahrur - Faith
- Shahrur - Righteous Deeds