The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-04-28
POPULAR APoLoGETIcs.
Adapted from the German of Rev
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev. James
Watcher.
LXXXI. Freedom of the Will
Deception.

Deception.
Objection: Man imagines that he is
free, because that flatters his self
esteem, and because in this manner re-
llgion and the judgments of God must
be justified and sustained.
Answer: Just the contrary; the
want of freedom has been invented by
man to make himself believe that there
is no judgment of God. This want of
freedom often fatters low men very
much.
If the freedom of the will were not
a fact clearly evident to every man, a
fact which all men presuppose and
acknowledge in all their acts, it would
certainly have been universally de-
MED; because thereby we could in the
simplest manner free ourselves of OPP
preSsive guilt, remorse of conscience,
and fear of the judgments of God;
and these things are by far more fire.
quent than praiseworthy deeds, at
thought of which our self-esteem is
fiattered
The philosopher Edward Won Hart
mann Ct 1906) thinks that in this
inner consciousness we are irrespon-
sible, like one possessed, who does
not know that he is possessed, or
one insane, who does not know his
condition, or like one drunk, who is
offended when one alludeS to his
state.-If that is true then we can
question Hartmann's nationality; and
if he appeals to his inner conscious
ness, we can say; The insane and
drunkard do the same; you are ir-
responsible like these, it only f1atters
your self-esteem to be considered a
rational man.
Won Hartmann says: IF the fall
ing stone had consciousness, it would
feel itself free How ridiculous is
this example copied from the skeptic
Spinoza & 1870! We have con-
seriousness and may fall; do you con-
slider such fall as free? We draw
a clear distinction between non-1ree
acts that do not depend on us, and
those that we have in our power.
The Swiss entomologist and pSy-
chologist Forel and others think that
the illusion of the freedom of the will
rests on the lack of knowledge of the
motives of our actions.
Father Catherein, S. J., answers:
If a cashier runs away with the
funds, if business man adulterates
his wares, if a murderer lies in wait
for his victim for days, they all know
very we'll their motives of their ac-
lions. Why do judges SO often in
quire after the motives or intentions
of the criminal, and why do they
often allow lofty motives" as eXtenu-
ating circumstances
Prof. DR.. Robert Won Hippel of the
Goettingen university, and writer on
juridical questions, says: Man
chooses what he considers under the
then circumstances to appear to him
the most correct" Father Cathrein,
S. J., answers: IF this assertion
were correct, man could never sin or
commit a crime. For a normal man
sees clearly that he should not COM
NIT crime; that the omission of
the wicked deed is for him simply
the most correct" ("Grundbegriffe
des MISUNDERSTANDING Idea
of Penal Law-p. $50.
1t is said: Man follows his char
acter his popularity. He is not free,
but follows the stronger motive
1t is true that character, circum-
stances, bodily and mental qualifica-
tions, also heredity, temptation, Sc
duction, habit, ETC., have a great in
fiuence on the human will. But
everyone knows that the life of man
is a struggle, and the struggler is
free will, which in turn is exercised
and strengthened by this struggle
(prayer and self-discipline).
(To be continueO.