Philosophy Ch. 9

Anselm of Canterbury

maintains that God is the greatest possible being

omnipotent

all-powerful

omniscient

all-knowing

omnibenevolent

wholly good

paradox of omnipotence

a problem questioning if an all-powerful being can create a task it cannot perform

Thomas Aquinas

concludes that God can create anything that is possible and can exist

Principle of Noncontradiction

contradictory statements cannot both be true at the same time

the problem of divine foreknowledge and human free will

If God knows what is going to happen in the future then it seems none of our actions can be free

theism

the view that at least one supernatural god exists

atheism

the view that no gods exist

agnosticism

one who is undecided between theism and atheism as there is no adequate proof of either side

cosmological argument

a family of philosophical arguments for God’s existence

first-cause argument

God must exist because the world must have had a beginning from an all-powerful creator

teleological argument

the universe’s complex, purposeful nature implies an intelligent creator

argument from design

the world and everything in it shows evidence of being the product of intelligent design and creation

ontological argument

because the definition of God is the greatest possible being, considering the property of existence, a being cannot be the greatest if it does not exists, therefore God exists

problem of evil

the existence of significant suffering is incompatible with an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent God

theodicy

a description of divine policy that explains why, from God’s point of view, pain and suffering are necessary for the accomplishment of some greater good

moral evil

pain and suffering that is caused by human beings

natural evil

pain and suffering that is caused by nature

modified problem of evil

questions whether God must be wholly good

free will solution

evil is the result of human free will and not God

ultimate harmony defense

apparent evil and suffering in the world are necessary components of a greater, divine harmony that humans cannot fully comprehend