歐利根論選擇的自由與意志

Origen on Freedom of Choice and the Will

人們普遍認為奧古斯丁首先提出了自由意志的哲學觀點。但在本文中，我希望表明，正是歐利根在他之前奠定了基礎，這一點在他的作品《論第一原理》和《駁瑟蘇斯》的留存下來的斷簡殘篇中得到了證明。其中，他廣泛引用了柏拉圖《理想國》第十卷裡的神話，該神話深入探討了人與選擇之間的關係。

蘇格拉底認為，德性就是知識；也就是說，如果一個人知道什麼是善，他就會行善。簡言之，善的知識必然是善的行為。同樣，對歐利根來說，意志的選擇，作為信仰的一種行動，是與知識的行為有關。

歐利根繼續駁斥瑟蘇斯所宣揚的觀點，即人的行為是預先註定的，他（人）對自己的選擇（無論是善或惡）不承擔任何責任。對歐利根來說，這無異於異端。

在這裡我將討論歐利根的意志概念，試圖堅持這樣一個前提：歐利根在他的《論第一原理》中不同意魔鬼的墮落是因為他的本性，而是因為他的自由選擇的意志這一前提。

It is widely assumed that it was Augustine who first formulated a philosophical standpoint on free will; but in this paper I hope to show that it was Origen before him who laid the ground work, as evidenced in the remaining fragments of his works, Peri Archôn and Contra Celsum. Therein, he refers extensively to Plato’s myth in the Republic X, which delved into the relationship between man and choice.

Socrates holds that virtue is knowledge (epistêmê); that is, if one knows what good is, he does good. In brief, knowledge of goodness is necessarily the action of goodness. Likewise, for Origen the choice of the will, being an act of pistis, is related to the act of knowledge.

Origen goes on to rebuke Celsus for propagating the idea that man’s actions are pre-ordained, and that he (man) holds no responsibility for his choices, good or evil. For Origen this is nothing less than heresy.

Herein I will discuss Origen’s concept of the will to try to uphold the premise that he, in his Peri Archôn, disagrees with the premise that the devil’s fall is because of his nature, but because of his free choice of will.