Voluntarism

Voluntarism is a term associated with theories that emphasize the primacy of the force of will in contrast to rationalistic or intellectual explanations of God, reality, human nature, or morality. Theological and metaphysical theories of voluntarism have influenced evolving moral, psychological, and political thought.

Theological voluntarism is often traced to the medieval writing of John Duns Scotus, William of Ockham, and those who stressed the importance of the divine will of God. Scotus claimed that God’s will determines what is reasonable or right and that God is free to act on this will. Ockham believed that divine will, rather than any form of pure or human reasoning, mandates whether human activities are sinful or good. He claimed that God’s freedom is absolutely unlimited and that nature ...