As the agents are free...

As the agents are free, their choice of action cannot be determined by the state of the world, and so cannot be calculated on that basis. As middle knowledge concerns counterfactual situations, however, neither can their choice of actions be known by observation of the future. With the two possible sources of knowledge ruled out, it seems that middle knowledge is an impossibility.

Problems with Experiential Knowledge The second type of argument commonly advanced against the doctrine of divine omniscience is the problem of experiential knowledge. The problem of experiential knowledge is that there appear to be certain kinds of knowledge that can only be acquired by having certain kinds of experiences.

One can only learn what it is like to sin by experiencing sin first-hand; one can only learn what it is like to feel malice by experiencing malice first-hand; one can only learn what it is like to be ignorant and powerless by experiencing ignorance and impotence first-hand. Some of these experiences, though, such as those listed above, are of a kind that cannot be had by God. God cannot sin, or feel malice, or lack power.

If, though, there are facts that can only be known through experience, and God cannot have the experiences by which those facts can be known, then God cannot know those facts. In that case, though, the doctrine of divine omniscience will have been disproven. (1) There are some items of knowledge that can only be acquired through experience.

(2) Some of the experiences through which items of knowledge that can only be acquired through experience are acquired are such that they cannot be had by God. (3) If some of the experiences through which items of knowledge that can only be acquired through experience are acquired are such that they cannot be had by God, then there are some items of knowledge that cannot be acquired by God. Therefore: (4) There are some items of knowledge that cannot be acquired by God.

(5) If there are some items of knowledge that cannot be acquired by God then it is not the case that God is omniscient. Therefore: (6) It is not the case that God is omniscient. How Does God Know the Future? Christian theism claims that God is omniscient. With the exception of a recent movement know as “Open Theism”, omniscience has always been taken to entail knowledge of the future.

If God is omniscience, then he knows not only everything about the way that the world is, but also everything about how the world will be.