[Milton-L] Knowledge, free will, etc.

[James Rovira]

Many apologies, Prof. Bryson -- I didn't mean to sound as if I were
representing your argument when I presented those two options.  I meant to
provide conceptual necessities.

I can see how negative theology might pose a third way around the horns of
that dilemma, and I appreciate your quotations from Milton demonstrating
sympathy with that theological approach, but I'm not sure Milton was
entirely consistent on that point.  He sounds too completely certain too
often.

My response, in part, anticipated a negative theological response: I don't
think Milton believes that our knowledge of God is complete and certain in
all points, just that we have certain knowledge of God about some points.
Our certain knowledge of God's nature and character is -limited-, but
-certain- within its limitations.  The way through the horns of the dilemma,
for me, is to identify what Milton believes we can know about God and what
he believes we cannot.  I think about this specific issue -- can God be
guilty of, or the author of, sin? -- Milton was certain.  His answer was
no.

At any rate, I'll try to locate those articles via ILL and then respond
further.  They sound interesting.

Jim R

On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 2:58 AM, Michael Bryson <michael.bryson at csun.edu>wrote:

> I agree with James Rovira regarding the two options he outlines as implied
> by my argument:
>
> "1. Milton's "God" is a character in a fiction, not to be confused with
> even Milton's own conception of the real God.
> 2. Milton's PL is intended to be a theodicy defending the real God (as
> understood by Milton -- which would include his acknowledgment of the
> limitations of human knowledge)."
>
> But to say that "of course to uphold point two you have to compromise point
> one, and to uphold point one you have to compromise point two" is a gross
> misrepresentation of my argument. I outline why at length in the *Tyranny
> of Heaven*, as well as in the following more recent works:
>
> "The Mysterious Darkness of Unknowing: *Paradise Lost* and the God Beyond
> Names"
> *A Poem Written In Ten Books: Paradise Lost 1667*, Eds. John Shawcross and
> Michael Lieb. Duquesne UP, 2007, 183-212.
>
>  "A Poem to the Unknown God: *Samson Agonistes* and Negative Theology."
>  *Milton Quarterly*, March 2008, vol. 42, No. 1, 2008, 22-43.
>
> Michael Bryson
>
>
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