Concept of God

Question 1

Omniscient

Answer 1

Having perfect knowledge. Often defined as knowing everything that is possible to know.

Question 2

Omnipotent

Answer 2

Having perfect power. Often defined as the ability to do anything that is possible to do.

Question 3

Omnipresent

Answer 3

Being present everywhere at the same time.

Question 4

Onmibenevolent

Answer 4

Infinitely (perfectly) good.

Question 7

Eternal

Answer 7

Timeless (atemporal) ‘without beginning or end’.

Question 8

Everlasting

Answer 8

Existing throughout all time

Question 9

Transcendent

Answer 9

‘Outside’ or ‘beyond’ the universe.

Question 10

Immanent

Answer 10

God exists throughout everything that exists.

Question 11

Immutable

Answer 11

Not subject to change.

Question 12

Paradox of the Stone

Answer 12

1. Either x can create a stone which x cannot lift, or x cannot create such a stone.
2. If x can create a stone x cannot lift, then necessarily there is at least one task which x cannot do.
3. If x cannot create a stone x cannot lift, then necessarily there is at least one task which x cannot do.
4. Hence, there is at least one task which x cannot perform.
5. If x is an omnipotent being, then x can perform all tasks.
6. Therefore, x is not omnipotent.

Question 13

Omnipotence and Omnibenevolence

Answer 13

1. To commit evil is to fail to be omnibenevolent.
2. If God is omnibenevolent, then God cannot commit evil.
3. Therefore, if God is omnibenevolent, there is something God cannot do.
4. Therefore, God cannot be omnipotent and omnibenevolent.

Question 14

The Euthyphro Dilema

Answer 14

1. If morality is whatever God wills, then if God wills what is now morally wrong, then it will become right.
2. If morality is independent of what God wills, then God cannot make what is morally wrong become morally right.

One of these options must be true, but both are unsatisfactory creating the dilema.

Question 15

Omniscience and Immutability

Answer 15

1. A perfect being is not subject to change.
2. A perfect being knows everything.
3. A being that knows everything knows what time it is.
4. A being that always knows what time it is is subject to change.
5. Therefore, a perfect being is subject to change.
6. Therefore a perfect being is not a perfect being.
7. Therefore, there is no perfect being.

Question 16

Omniscience and Human Freedom

Answer 16

1. For me to do an action freely, I must be able to do it or refrain from doing it.
2. If God knows what I do before I do it, it must be true that I do it.
3. Therefore, it cannot be true that God knows what I will do before I do it and that I refrain from doing it.
4. If I do the action,then I cannot prevent myself from doing it.
5. Therefore, if God knows what I do before I do it, then I must do it.
6. Therefore, the action is not free.
7. (Therefore, if the action is free, God is not omniscient.)