The Freedom of the Will as a Basis of Human Responsibility and a Divine Government

The Freedom Of The Will As A Basis Of Human Responsibility And A Divine Government by Daniel Denison Whedon. This 19th-century philosophical-theological treatise argues for a robust libertarian account of human freedom compatible with moral responsibility and divine governance. It critiques Edwardsian determinism, differentiating between prevolitional, volitional, and post-volitional processes and insisting that genuine freedom requires the possibility of choosing among multiple viable volitions in the same situation. The work distinguishes mechanical freedom from volitional freedom, and posits that motives influence but do not strictly determine actions. It outlines Part I: issue stated; Part II: critique of necessitarian arguments; Part III: positive arguments grounded in consciousness about counter-possibilities and responsibility. The author engages with theologians and philosophers (Edwards, Kant, Hume, Leibniz) and argues that freedom under providence allows moral desert, accountability, and a coherent theodicy, including discussions of divine foreknowledge, universal atonement, and dispensations. The tone is scholarly and dense, aimed at theologians and philosophers, seeking to reconcile freedom with divine government.