Metaphysics of God Flashcards
(17 cards)
What does is mean for God to be Omniscient? +quote
For Abrahamic religions, it gives the attribute of all knowing and seeing all. [John 1 3:20] “He knows everything”.
What is a challenge to Gods Omniscience?
The problem of evil challenges the compatibility of gods attributes. this is split into to arguments the logical and evidential. Or whether he is eternal or everlasting.
What is the Logical problem of evil?
Is deductive. This applies only to moral evil not natural evil. The existence of evil and god are incompatible due to the inconsistent triad. since evil does exists God either isn’t all powerful or all loving.
What is the evidential problem of evil?
Is inductive. Applies to both natural and moral evil. Questions how can God have the attributes with the sheer vol of Gratuitous/Meaningless suffering.
What is another name for the inconsistent triad?
The ‘‘Epicurean paradox”
What does it mean for God to be Eternal?
This means god it outside of time/Atemporal and transcendent with no beginning or end. This also means he would be unable to interact with us cuz he’s beyond space time
What does it mean for God to be Everlasting?
Everlasting/Semi-temporal is within time, allowing God to interact with us. Existing throughout time with no beginning or end
What does it mean for God to be Omnipotent? +quote
For Abrahamic religions it gives the attribute of all powerful, capable of creating and controlling anything. [Genesis 1:1] “God created the Heavens and the Earth”
What is a challenge to Gods Omnipotence?
The paradox of the stone Which asks if God create a stone so heavy he himself couldn’t lift it.
Either route of answer weakens his omnipotence. This is a logical contradiction for omnipotence so some argue God can only do what is logically possible
What are some philosophers which say God can not do anything logically contradictory?
Averroes (1126-1198)
Thomas Aquainas (1223-1274)
What does it mean for God to be Benevolent? +quote
This gives the attribute of all loving with all actions and intentions are kind with love extending to all. [Psalms 103:8] “The Lord is merciful and gracious”
What is Divine command theory (DCT)
Its an absolutist deontological theory which says things are right cuz god commands them and wrong because he forbids them.
What is the Euthyphro dilemma?
This is a critisim of DCT split into two “horns”. The first horn tackles if God is the source of good. The second horn tackles if good exists independent of God.
Explain the first horn of the Euthyphro dilemma.
Assuming god is the source of all goo can lead to blind faith as if he commands us to do meaningless or even harmful thing as he has done biblically we have to accept it as good.
Explain the second horn of the Euthyphro dilemma.
Goodness exists independently to Gods will as an external objective moral authority.
What is Anselms Ontological argument?
It is a a priori deductive argument that says God is the Greatest conceivable being (GCB).
p1) God is the GCB
p2) GCB exists in the mind
p3) It would be greater to exists in reality than just the mind
c) God exists
What is Gaunilo’s “On behalf of the fool”?
Guanilo calls the argument reductio ad absurdum and says to imagine the greatest conceivable island (GCI). According to Anselm this island must exist. Clearly just cuz u think it dosnt mean it exists.
