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Thu 24 Aug, 2006 12:18 pm
Must an all powerful God necessarily know the outcome of all his works?
Or is he free to use his power of foreknowledge selectively?
Omnipotence--having all powers, certainly implies having, therefore, all knowledge. But this is really a "here we go again" exercise. I know that the contention that an omnipotent deity need not have perfect foreknowledge is important to one of your theological dodges, but i don't recall the details just now.
It has a lot to do with the subject of free will, over which we have spilt many a libation.
Oh yeah--now i remember. Frank was always beatin' up on ya 'cause your boy Jehovah created Adam and Eve without the knowledge of good and evil, and then suckered them with the snake and the tree, and nakedness, and the sweat of the brow and all that jive . . . get over it, Neo. I've never heard of any religious (or political) dodge which didn't have glaring flaws which people can jump all over. Truth to tell, such a discussion as this won't change your faith in your god, will it?
At least i can always be assured that you ain't no Presbyterian . . .
Re: Does omnipotence necessitate omniscience?
neologist wrote:Must an all powerful God necessarily know the outcome of all his works?
Yes. Omnipotence necessitates Omniscience (IMO).
neologist wrote:Or is he free to use his power of foreknowledge selectively?
You cannot "select" to be impotent, and still be omnipotent.
The condition you suggest would be a paradox.
According to science -- woops. Wrong thead.
Re: Does omnipotence necessitate omniscience?
rosborne979 wrote:neologist wrote:Must an all powerful God necessarily know the outcome of all his works?
Yes. Omnipotence necessitates Omniscience (IMO).
neologist wrote:Or is he free to use his power of foreknowledge selectively?
You cannot "select" to be impotent, and still be omnipotent.
The condition you suggest would be a paradox.
So, he can't run the ship the way he wants?
There's definitely a Paradox. It is a neccessary part of being omnipotent that you have the power to limit your own power, along with all other imaginable powers....(he said, unfortunately playing into neo's hands).
Of course, when He does that, He is no longer omniscient.
Setanta wrote:Oh yeah--now i remember. Frank was always beatin' up on ya 'cause your boy Jehovah created Adam and Eve without the knowledge of good and evil, and then suckered them with the snake and the tree, and nakedness, and the sweat of the brow and all that jive . . . get over it, Neo. I've never heard of any religious (or political) dodge which didn't have glaring flaws which people can jump all over. Truth to tell, such a discussion as this won't change your faith in your god, will it?
Probably not. But I have yet to see any contradiction in the term 'selective foreknowledge'.
Eorl wrote:There's definitely a Paradox. It is a neccessary part of being omnipotent that you have the power to limit your own power, along with all other imaginable powers....(he said, unfortunately playing into neo's hands).
Of course, when He does that, He is no longer omniscient.
Exactly. But selective foreknowledge
is compatible with omnipotence.
But not with omniscience.
Right; the word omniscient does not appear in the Bible.
Selective foreknowledge, yes. But omniscience would be a limitation of power.
Isn't omniscience implied?
One cannot be omnipotent if one is not also omniscient, and therein lies the paradox.
Re: Does omnipotence necessitate omniscience?
neologist wrote:rosborne979 wrote:neologist wrote:Must an all powerful God necessarily know the outcome of all his works?
Yes. Omnipotence necessitates Omniscience (IMO).
neologist wrote:Or is he free to use his power of foreknowledge selectively?
You cannot "select" to be impotent, and still be omnipotent.
The condition you suggest would be a paradox.
So, he can't run the ship the way he wants?
He?
neologist wrote:Right; the word omniscient does not appear in the Bible.
So what?
Omnipotence necessitates omniscience logically.
It doesn't need to be mentioned specifically.
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