4 ms·

Why is it impossible for God to exist?

by jhickok 3y ago

alangibson 3y ago
Doesn't matter. He gets to assert that it's possible, so I get to assert that it's not.
- woodruffw 3y ago
  In a logic setting, this is a much harder position to hold: it's much easier to assert the possibility of existence than the non-possibility of existence (which requires universal qualification). The OA isn't a good argument for various reasons that others have noted above, but the possible existence of God (or Unicorns, or Colorless Green Ideas) isn't one of them.
  - 082349872349872 3y ago
    One way to show non-possibility, leveraging universality, is to show that for all A's, one can prove both B and something contradicting B. Example: ∀(G ∈ gods . card(G) = 3) ∧ ∀(G ∈ gods . card(G) < 3) Whether or not people have "proved" contradictory attributes for gods is left as an exercise for the reader... cf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic_et_Non https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic_et_Non
  - GoblinSlayer 3y ago
    It's much easier to not exist than to exist.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- mistermann 3y ago
  Clever! Do you have enough control over your mind to command it to contemplate what the truth of the matter is?
mrkeen 3y ago
An all-powerful, omniscient being invites some paradoxes/problems: Homer Simpson's version was "Could Jesus microwave a burrito so hot that he himself could not eat it?" Also - if you're omniscient and you already know your future, does that imply that you do not have free will?
- thsksbd 3y ago
  The first is not a paradox but a nonsensical statement. Omnipotent, (by definition), does not include breaking logic because at its core something illogical is nonsense. As to free will, well that's something only Catholics and Orthodox hold onto. I don't believe Muslims or many Protestants (Calvin?) adhere to that.
- sorokod 3y ago
  That kind of deity can not be restricted by logical paradoxes, it is beyond their reach so to speak. That of course raises the question why even attempt logical proofs, but here we are.
- missingrib 3y ago
  You can just claim that omniscience and omnipotence do not require that you can do logically impossible things. For instance, God couldn't will that 2+2=5, or that he could create something so heavy that he could not move it.
- throw0101b 3y ago
  > An all-powerful, omniscient being invites some paradoxes/problems: Not really: * https://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2010/02/dawkins-on-omnipotence-and-omniscience.html https://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2010/02/dawkins-on-omnipote...

Why is it impossible for God to exist?

alangibson 3y ago

Doesn't matter. He gets to assert that it's possible, so I get to assert that it's not.

woodruffw 3y ago
In a logic setting, this is a much harder position to hold: it's much easier to assert the possibility of existence than the non-possibility of existence (which requires universal qualification). The OA isn't a good argument for various reasons that others have noted above, but the possible existence of God (or Unicorns, or Colorless Green Ideas) isn't one of them.
- 082349872349872 3y ago
  One way to show non-possibility, leveraging universality, is to show that for all A's, one can prove both B and something contradicting B. Example: ∀(G ∈ gods . card(G) = 3) ∧ ∀(G ∈ gods . card(G) < 3) Whether or not people have "proved" contradictory attributes for gods is left as an exercise for the reader... cf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic_et_Non https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic_et_Non
- GoblinSlayer 3y ago
  It's much easier to not exist than to exist.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
mistermann 3y ago
Clever! Do you have enough control over your mind to command it to contemplate what the truth of the matter is?

mrkeen 3y ago

An all-powerful, omniscient being invites some paradoxes/problems: Homer Simpson's version was "Could Jesus microwave a burrito so hot that he himself could not eat it?" Also - if you're omniscient and you already know your future, does that imply that you do not have free will?

thsksbd 3y ago
The first is not a paradox but a nonsensical statement. Omnipotent, (by definition), does not include breaking logic because at its core something illogical is nonsense. As to free will, well that's something only Catholics and Orthodox hold onto. I don't believe Muslims or many Protestants (Calvin?) adhere to that.
sorokod 3y ago
That kind of deity can not be restricted by logical paradoxes, it is beyond their reach so to speak. That of course raises the question why even attempt logical proofs, but here we are.
missingrib 3y ago
You can just claim that omniscience and omnipotence do not require that you can do logically impossible things. For instance, God couldn't will that 2+2=5, or that he could create something so heavy that he could not move it.
throw0101b 3y ago
> An all-powerful, omniscient being invites some paradoxes/problems: Not really: * https://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2010/02/dawkins-on-omnipotence-and-omniscience.html https://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2010/02/dawkins-on-omnipote...