What Is God Like?: Crash Course Philosophy #12

CrashCourse11 minutes read

The traditional concept of God as an "omni-God" with attributes like omniscience and omnipotence is explored through philosophical reasoning and theological debates, raising questions about divine perfection and human free will. Philosophers like Aquinas argue for the existence of a perfect God through attributes not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, leading to discussions on the nature of God's relationship with humans and the impact of petitionary prayers on divine decisions.

Insights

  • The traditional concept of God includes attributes like omniscience, omnipotence, omnibenevolence, omnitemporality, and omnipresence, which are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible but are reasoned by philosophers like Aquinas to be true for a perfect God, leading to philosophical puzzles and contradictions.
  • Philosophers like Eleanor Stump and Thomas Aquinas raise questions about God's relationship with humans, the impact of prayers on God's decisions, and the limitations of human understanding when discussing the nature of God, suggesting that our perception of God may be constrained by analogies and that modern interpretations may deviate from the traditional divine attributes.

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Recent questions

  • What are the divine attributes of God?

    The traditional picture of God includes attributes like omniscience, omnipotence, omnibenevolence, omnitemporality, and omnipresence.

  • Can God be both omniscient and allow human free will?

    The concept of God's omniscience and human free will coexisting is a topic of debate.

  • What is divine impeccability?

    Divine impeccability refers to God's inability to sin.

  • How do philosophers address the limitations of understanding God?

    Philosophers like Thomas Aquinas suggest that our understanding of God is limited.

  • What is the modern perspective on God's divine attributes?

    Some modern thinkers propose that God may not possess all traditional divine attributes.

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Summary

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"Philosophical Debates on God's Attributes"

  • Crash Course Philosophy is sponsored by Squarespace, focusing on arguments for God's existence and the attributes of God.
  • The traditional picture of God is of an "omni-God" with divine attributes like omniscience, omnipotence, omnibenevolence, omnitemporality, and omnipresence.
  • These attributes are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible but are reasoned by philosophers like Aquinas to be true for a perfect God.
  • The divine attributes lead to philosophical puzzles and contradictions, such as the ability of God to create a rock he can't lift.
  • Questions arise about God's omniscience and human free will, leading to debates on whether these beliefs can coexist.
  • The concept of divine impeccability, where God cannot sin, raises questions about God's omnipotence and goodness.
  • The idea of God having a personal relationship with humans while being omniscient and omnitemporal presents a challenge.
  • Petitionary prayers are discussed, with philosopher Eleanor Stump questioning the impact of prayers on God's decisions.
  • Thomas Aquinas suggests that our understanding of God is limited, and we can only speak about God through analogies.
  • Some modern thinkers propose that God may not possess all traditional divine attributes, aligning more with a superhero-like figure as depicted in the Bible.
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