If you define "omnipotent" to mean "able to do anything which is not logically impossible" then the problem goes away. Nick's argument is that worrying that God cannot create a rock so heavy he cannot lift it is akin to worrying that God cannot create a square circle or similar, or worrying about what happens when an irresistable force meets an immoveable object. In all cases, the question contains a contradiction and is therefore meaningless. Indeed - I was hoping that he would define omnipotent in this way. If we define omnipotent as "Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all-powerful" for instance that then leads us to having to consider whether or not God created logic, and if not (and so he is in some way constrained by it) then where did it come from?
Omnipotence in its pure form cannot be true because as you have pointed out it you can easily show that it would be contradictory, so if God exists he cannot be omnipotent in this way. I'm just reading "The blind watchmaker" by Dawkins, and he makes a similar comment - that if God is constrained to some degree then the real question is what/who is the origin of that constraint, for it cannot be God.
The Problem of Evil is then solved by arguing that a universe in which there is no evil but we still have free will is a logical contradiction. God cannot create a logically contradictory universe and so can't be blamed for evil. A counter to this is to ask whether the inhabitents of heaven have free will. Discuss [20 marks]. I am aware of that solution, I was waiting for him to suggest it then I was going to ask whether or not the inhabitants of heaven do have free will :0)
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timeasmymeasure
Re: This year's CICCU Main Event - DIRECTION
Date: 2005-02-06 11:16 pm (UTC)Indeed - I was hoping that he would define omnipotent in this way. If we define omnipotent as "Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all-powerful" for instance that then leads us to having to consider whether or not God created logic, and if not (and so he is in some way constrained by it) then where did it come from?
Omnipotence in its pure form cannot be true because as you have pointed out it you can easily show that it would be contradictory, so if God exists he cannot be omnipotent in this way. I'm just reading "The blind watchmaker" by Dawkins, and he makes a similar comment - that if God is constrained to some degree then the real question is what/who is the origin of that constraint, for it cannot be God.
The Problem of Evil is then solved by arguing that a universe in which there is no evil but we still have free will is a logical contradiction. God cannot create a logically contradictory universe and so can't be blamed for evil. A counter to this is to ask whether the inhabitents of heaven have free will. Discuss [20 marks].
I am aware of that solution, I was waiting for him to suggest it then I was going to ask whether or not the inhabitants of heaven do have free will :0)