37

The article deals with Jansenist writers’ attempts to reconcile free will with the thesis of the general necessity of sinning. Jansenius argues that although fallen man is under a general necessity of sinning, he has freedom with respect to particular acts; yet he also seems to argue (contra Aristotle) that concupiscence comes down to a form of constraint (in other words, a particular necessity). Arnauld, however, confines himself to affirming the first point, while Nicole explicitly argues against the assimilation of concupiscence and constraint.