I wish to just clarify on DvF's excellent point. Omnipotence is about power, not logical possibility. To say that God is omnipotent is only to say that God has the power to do anything that power can do. (Far too many people leave off the clause that I emphasized there.) Logical possibility enters the picture only as a definitional point; i.e., if the logically impossible could be become possible given sufficient power, then it was never logically impossible to begin with but merely difficult. The logically impossible remains impossible necessarily, regardless of how much power might be applied. It is definitional.
It should also be noted that omnipotence has nothing to do with impressiveness, which is a psychological point irrelevant to either God or power. Knocking over a coffee cup is a matter of having sufficient power to do so (thus an omnipotent God could do so), but whether someone finds that impressive or not is irrelevant.
That regards what is actual, which is separate from what is possible. That which is possible may or may not be actual, but that which is actual is necessarily possible. But more to your point here, that which is actual is not necessarily the best or worst it could possibly be. For example, the fact that Smith survived his car accident is actual; that he never had the accident in the first place is logically possible and the best, while dying in the accident is also logically possible and the worst.
It should also be noted that omnipotence has nothing to do with impressiveness, which is a psychological point irrelevant to either God or power. Knocking over a coffee cup is a matter of having sufficient power to do so (thus an omnipotent God could do so), but whether someone finds that impressive or not is irrelevant.
(January 18, 2011 at 6:22 am)DoubtVsFaith Wrote: When something is happening, then it is by definition happening that way. So when that really is happening, that is all that is happening. And so that is both the best and worst that can be.
That regards what is actual, which is separate from what is possible. That which is possible may or may not be actual, but that which is actual is necessarily possible. But more to your point here, that which is actual is not necessarily the best or worst it could possibly be. For example, the fact that Smith survived his car accident is actual; that he never had the accident in the first place is logically possible and the best, while dying in the accident is also logically possible and the worst.
Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when
called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.
(Oscar Wilde)
called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.
(Oscar Wilde)
