Gods Attributes Flashcards
what is Descartes view on Gods Omnipotence and what is it called
the view that God’s omnipotence involves the power to do anything’s even the logical impossible. he calls this voluntarism
how does Descartes explain logic and Gods omnipotence
logic is a human limitation, but it is not a limitation for God, thus the rules of logic do not apply to him
how is Descartes view of Gods omnipotence incoherent
if God can make 1+1=3 then it is not logically necessary for it to equal 2. therefore it undermines the idea of logically impossible if it were possible by God
how does Descartes view on Gods omnipotence undermine the problem of evil
God would then therefore be able to take away evil but still allow for opportunities of growth and free will.
how does Aquinas argue against voluntarism
he argues the definition of omnipotence was the ability to do anything logically possible
how does the paradox of the stone critic Aquinas
it is the question whether God can create a stone that is so heavy he can’t lift it. both claims are logically possible but Aquinas’ omnipotence cannot answer
how can someone defend Aquinas and the paradox of the stone
a stone too heavy for an omnipotent to life it by definition logically impossible as there is no such thing
who cam up with a self limiting God
Vardy
what is the idea of a self limiting God
God has the power to do anything he chooses but limits his own power
why would a God choose to be self limiting
as it is God’s intention for humans to have freewill
what is evidence of a self limiting God
God made Jesus and striped away many of Gods attributes
what does Boethius suggest to explain the conflict of omniscience, free will and benevolence
that he is eternal, outside of time
what does eternal mean for boethius
god sees al time simultaneously, God’s knowledge is foreknowledge, it does not exist prior to our actions
for Boethius what are the two types of Necessity
simple and conditional necessity
what is conditional necessity
God knowing our actions made our actions necessary but only conditionally necessary, they are necessary only on the condition we make them to be
what is simple necessity
means something cannot fail to exist it occur, regardless of someones choices.
what is Boethius’ analogy of simple and conditional necessity
there is a viewer on the hilltop watching someone walk. the sun is shining and that is simple necessity, the person necessarily walking is conditional as he has chosen to walk.
how does Boethius’ theory defend free will and omniscience
as God only sees the results of our free choices
how is Boethius analogy of the walker weak
as God is not a view on top of a hill top, that limits him to human perception
how does Boethius eternal God not compatible with the bible
a condition of the covenant is that God is involved with his people, this is not possible with an eternal God
what is Anselm’s famous Quote of God
“which none greater may be conceived”
what is the fourth dimension
time, the past and the future exist in the same way that the present exists
what radical conclusion did Anselm come to and how
God learns of our actions, as God knows our future actions because he exists simultaneously with them in eternity
what is a consequence of Anselm’s radical conclusion
this conflicts with omniscience, it is inherent to suggest tat an omniscient being can learn
