Comments on: Theists: how do you make sense of omnipotence? http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/2010/02/13/theists-how-do-you-make-sense-of-omnipotence/ Best blog name ever Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:27:09 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: bailey http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/2010/02/13/theists-how-do-you-make-sense-of-omnipotence/comment-page-1/#comment-5976 bailey Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:36:20 +0000 http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/?p=1039#comment-5976 Also: some of the classic papers from the 60s and 70s on this topic show up on PhilPapers if you search for "omnipotence": http://philpapers.org/autosense.pl?searchStr=omnipotence Also: some of the classic papers from the 60s and 70s on this topic show up on PhilPapers if you search for “omnipotence”:

http://philpapers.org/autosense.pl?searchStr=omnipotence

]]> By: bailey http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/2010/02/13/theists-how-do-you-make-sense-of-omnipotence/comment-page-1/#comment-5975 bailey Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:33:48 +0000 http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/?p=1039#comment-5975 Omnipotence is not the ability to do things that are "coherent." It's the ability to do things that are possible. It is "coherent," in one sense or other, that water not be H20, after all, but impossible nonetheless. Similarly, if God is essentially omnipotent (omnipotent in every world in which God exists), then it is coherent but impossible that God's abilities be limited. Back in the day, there was a decent-sized literature on defining omnipotence. If you want to see more sophisticated treatments of the topic, Wierenga's 1983 paper on the topic is a fine place to start. Omnipotence is not the ability to do things that are “coherent.” It’s the ability to do things that are possible. It is “coherent,” in one sense or other, that water not be H20, after all, but impossible nonetheless. Similarly, if God is essentially omnipotent (omnipotent in every world in which God exists), then it is coherent but impossible that God’s abilities be limited.

Back in the day, there was a decent-sized literature on defining omnipotence. If you want to see more sophisticated treatments of the topic, Wierenga’s 1983 paper on the topic is a fine place to start.

]]> By: aigbusted http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/2010/02/13/theists-how-do-you-make-sense-of-omnipotence/comment-page-1/#comment-5971 aigbusted Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:42:26 +0000 http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/?p=1039#comment-5971 I think these kinds of questions aren't that problematic for omnipotence. Of course an omnipotent God could place a limit on himself. *After* he placed the limit on himself he would no longer be omnipotent. *Prior* to placing that limit on himself he would be omnipotent. I think these kinds of questions aren’t that problematic for omnipotence. Of course an omnipotent God could place a limit on himself. *After* he placed the limit on himself he would no longer be omnipotent. *Prior* to placing that limit on himself he would be omnipotent.

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