banditoloco

If a god exists, is it possible for god to be either omniscient or omnipotent but not both. In other words, if god was omnipotent, would (s)he/it have the power to be omniscient. And if god was omniscient, would (s)he/it have the knowledge to become omnipotent.

David Mathews

Hello banditoloco,

David: Yes, God be both omniscient and omnipotent.

Best Regards,

David Mathews

banditoloco

I apologize, but perhaps I did not ask my question clearly enough, David. I am not asking if it is possible for god to be omniscient and/or omnipotent. What I am asking is:

1) If god is omnipotent, must he also be omniscient, because of the definition of omnipotence.
2) If god is omniscient, must he also be omnipotent, because of the definition of omniscient.

I will not define omnipotence and omniscience as they are to be used in this discussion. I want to see what others think the definitions of these words are, and whether or not one necessitates the other.

99Percent

As 99Percent simultaneously Omniscient and Omnipotent I would like to point out that your handle should be bandidoloco, instead of banditoloco.

Cheers

banditoloco

I know, but it was taken when i was registering a handle for something else, so i had to use bandiToloco, and i've been using it for everything else ever since.

99Percent

Well, perfection does not exist in reality so omnipotence and omniscience are simply man made ideals such as the number zero or even the number one or circle or God.

Thomas Metcalf

I'm wondering what kind of omnipotent God is, then. Because "to learn" is a logically possible action, but God cannot perform it because He is omniscient. In other words, omnipotence and omniscience are in conflict, as I see it.

Darkside_Spirit

Assuming that "becoming omnipotent" is possible. Knowing everything there is to know does not include knowing how to do things that cannot be done.

The contradiction between omniscience and omnipotence concerns the future. If God is omnipotent, he can change the future, and cannot therefore know it. If God is omniscient, he knows the future, and cannot therefore change it.

Thomas Metcalf

I agree. It may just be physically impossible to become omnipotent.

Most apologists defending God's omnipotence and omniscience will say that it is impossible to know the future, so it does not count against God's omnipotence that He doesn't know it.

[ July 31, 2002: Message edited by: Thomas Metcalf ]</p>

Olorin

What is there to be learnt by an omniscient being? Nothing.

Perhaps it would be correct to say that learning is a logically possible action for someone who does not posess all knowledge.

It might be like asking "Can an omnipotent being become more powerful?" It would only be logically possible for a being that is non-omnipotent to acquire more power. Likewise, it would only be logically possible for a being that is non-omniscient to acquire more knowledge.

It would seem that the realm of logical possibility is relative, i.e. it is logically possible for most birds to fly, but not for humans.