God's Omnipotence
- Created by: Grace Lidgett
- Created on: 29-12-12 21:34
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- God's omnipotence
- God can do anything!
- View held by Descarted = no limitations on God, he can make a square circle or a round square
- CRITIQUE = Aquinas believed logically impossible actions are not actions at all - not proper things
- agreed by C.S. Lewis
- God can even do the logically impossible
- CRITIQUE = J.L Mackie believed there was no thing which was logically impossible
- God can do anything logically possible!
- Plantinga agreed and suggested = an omnipotent being may not have omnipotence as a necessary quality as he may choose to limit his powers to preserve free will
- Aquinas possesses this view as it allows events such as the red sea parting possible but cannot violate the laws of logic
- Solves paradoxes such as the stone paradox as logically impossible is not assumed
- God cannot sin because it contradicts the nature that God is good
- Anselm echoed this as sin involves a lack of control over ones actions
- God is almighty
- An alternative interpretation by Geach = God has the capacity for power OVER everything and not to do everything
- Problems with God's omnipotence: can God sin? run? create a round square?
- Stone paradox = can God make a stone too heavy for him to lift? if he cant make it he is not omnipotent, if he cant lift it he is not either
- 3 definitions for what is meant by God being omnipotent
- God can do anything!
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