Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Q116 A3: Whether fate is unchangeable?

Yes. Fate, considered in regard to second causes, is changeable, but as subject to Divine Providence, it derives a certain unchangeableness, not of absolute but of conditional necessity, because the disposition of second causes which we call fate, can be considered in two ways: firstly, in regard to the second causes, which are thus disposed or ordered; secondly, in regard to the first principle, namely, God, by Whom they are ordered.

Fatum, secundum considerationem secundarum causarum, mobile est, sed secundum quod subest divinae providentiae, immobilitatem sortitur, non quidem absolutae necessitatis, sed conditionatae, quia dispositio secundarum causarum, quam fatum dicimus, potest dupliciter considerari, uno modo, secundum ipsas causas secundas, quae sic disponuntur seu ordinantur; alio modo, per relationem ad primum principium a quo ordinantur, scilicet Deum.

In this sense we say that this conditional is true and necessary: "If God foreknew that this would happen, it will happen."

Secundum quod dicimus hanc conditionalem esse veram vel necessariam, "si Deus praescivit hoc futurum, erit".

Wherefore Boethius, having said that the chain of fate is fickle, shortly afterwards adds--"which, since it is derived from an unchangeable Providence must also itself be unchangeable."

Unde cum Boetius dixisset fati seriem esse mobilem, post pauca subdit, "quae cum ab immobilis providentiae proficiscatur exordiis, ipsam quoque immutabilem esse necesse est".