Final answer:
Deists believe that God, after creating the universe, refrained from intervening in it, similar to a watchmaker who winds a watch and then steps away. This philosophy is rooted in Enlightenment thinking and focuses on free will, the natural laws of the universe, and human responsibility for actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct option : d
This concept is central to Deism, an Enlightenment-era belief that accepts the existence of a supreme being, specifically a creator who does not intervene in the universe. This ideology contrasts with traditional theism, which holds that God is actively involved in human affairs and the operation of the world. Enlightenment thinkers developed Deism as a means to understand the universe in a rational and scientific way. They posited that God, much like a watchmaker, created the world and set it in motion but then stepped away, allowing it to operate according to its own natural laws without divine interference. The Deist perspective of God is therefore one of a non-interventionist, who refrains from performing miracles or influencing the course of human history after creation.
In Deism, while God originally set up the universe, the focus is on free will and the idea that events in the universe are carried out by agents exercising this free will. Deists reject the notion of predestined fate and the complete omnipotence of God, embracing instead the idea that the future is not predetermined as all beings and events exercise some degree of self-determination. This perspective leads to a distinct moral and philosophical position, whereby individuals are seen as responsible for their actions and decisions, with the universe and life characterized by process, change, and continual evolution. The view harmonizes the existence of God with an empowerment of human free will and the observable natural laws that govern the universe.