Futurible

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FUTURIBLE

That one of two possible contradictory acts that a free agent would perform if certain conditions were fulfilled. It is called pure futurible if they are not fulfilled. The reality of futuribles is apparent from an example: what a defeated electoral candidate would do if elected. At any given moment two contradictory actions would be possible to him, but only one would eventuate. Thus, every futurible is something that definitely "would be" and is therefore infallibly known by God. God's unerring providential government of human history is directed by His infallible knowledge of futuribles; admission of this divine knowledge is implied in all the Church's petitionary prayers. Few Catholic thinkers today question the reality of futuribles; but whether God knows the futuribles immediately, because of their definite intelligible being, or in Himself, is a disputed question.

See Also: predetermination; scientia media; bÁÑez and baÑezianism; molinism; omniscience; grace; predestination; providence.

Bibliography: t. de diego diÉz, Theologia naturalis (Santander 1955).

[f. l. sheerin]