Nature Of God Flashcards
What is the omnipotence paradox/paradox of the stone
If god is all powerful, can he create a stone so heavy he cannot lift it?
What is Descartes model of omnipotence
God can do the logically impossible
He created the laws of logic so he can break them
What is Aquinas model of omnipotence
God can only do the logically possible
To argue that God is limited because he cannot do the logically impossible is an error in logic
Explain the idea that god has self imposed limitations
God created a limited universe and decided that he should only operate within the laws he created
John hick says God deliberately put himself at an epistemic distance
What is the doctrine of kenosis
Self emptying
God deliberately emptied himself of some of his divine attributes before coming to earth as jesus
Explain why it could be argued there’s not even a problem with Gods omnipotence
Believers don’t seek an exact scientific definition of omnipotence - religiously it is not a problem, only philosophically
Catholic church says it can be left as a mystery as we should avoid exactness when talking about God
What is meant by personal omnibenevolence
God’s goodness is understood in terms of his love and mercy
What is meant by metaphysical omnibenevolence
God’s goodness is understood as perfection - he has no flaws
What is meant by ethical omnibenevolence
God’s goodness is understood in moral terms, as he is the origin of moral goodness
What is the euthyphro dilemma
Question of whether morality is created by God or independent of him
What do miracles say about god’s benevolence
How can a benevolent God perform miracles for some and not others - problem was put forward by Maurice wiles
What does it mean to say God is timeless
He knows absolutely everything there is to know including out future
What does it mean to say God is everlasting
God exists within time, he knows everything that is logically possible to know
Who was boethius
6th century, wrote the consolation of philosophy where he discussed how free will and god’s omniscience can both exist
What is boethius’s simultaneous present
The idea that God is eternal, so he possesses all of existence at the same time
What is Aristotelian logic
Something cannot both be and not be at the same time, so all actions are necessary when we are doing them
How does Boethius use Aristotelian logic
Uses this to say that God knows out of necessity, so he is only seeing us do something because we have already chosen to do it
What is simple necessity
Boethius’s idea of knowledge that God has of natural, physical laws
What is conditional necessity
Boethius’s idea of knowledge that God has of our freely chosen actions
What does Anselm aim to do with his four dimensionalist approach
Agreed with Boethius that God is timeless but wanted to suggest a more immanent God
How does Anselm suggest a God who is more immanent
Says that God is eternity, so he is there with us for all of our experiences
What is preceding necessity
Anselm’s term for knowledge that God has of the laws of nature
What is following necessity
Anselm’s term for God’s knowledge of our free choices
How does Swinburne respond to Anselm’s model of omniscience
Simultaneous present is incoherent
Instead, God is everlasting
