(October 23, 2014 at 9:51 am)datc Wrote:...ermm what is the basis for these assertions?God's providence is presumably far superior in its ability to do good. Second, because physical causality and teleology, in making the world a better place, are motivated by the cause's own needs: to persevere in one's nature or to become happier. But God has no needs and acts solely so that good things may exist.
"Good" is a subjective term, what is good to you might be evil or bad to another.
(October 23, 2014 at 9:51 am)datc Wrote: For example, suppose that God was not completely happy and created because, say, He wanted company. Then it would no longer be true that God "wills nothing except by reason of its goodness." He would have created because of the utility to Him of the creation which would be good as a means to the satisfaction of God’s "selfish" ends. In other words, there would be an evil in God which the creation would help remedy; and therefore, the creation would spring from something evil rather than from something good.And why would you suggest this is not the reality, especially when bible claims God created humans to worship him? And most other major religions also suggest a similar reason for creation....
(October 23, 2014 at 9:51 am)datc Wrote:Actually in nothingness Blarg has more meaning than a lion or unicorn, which has a basis in reality and is tied to something.
In other words, X has both meaning and reference for Earth; Y has an ideal meaning ("a mythical animal generally depicted with the body and head of a horse, the hind legs of a stag, the tail of a lion, and a single horn in the middle of the forehead") but lacks a real reference; "Blarg" has neither meaning nor reference.
Also going by your definition, goodness is something I can think of, so it has to be outside that set too, along with all other emotions and mental constructs.
(October 23, 2014 at 9:51 am)datc Wrote:Earth is a planet.
I mean that once Earth has been generated (come into existence), there is no possibility of its ever corrupting (going out of existence).
That there is matter is a contingent fact; there might never have been material objects in the universe. But once there are such objects, they cannot be destroyed as per the law of conservation of matter and energy.
Same with the universe as a whole: once it's here, it will exist forever.
Big bang is not a universe.
And both earth and universe has "formed" from a different form of existence and will be destroyed, that is converted to a different form of existence eventually, that doesn't violate the law of conservation.
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