Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
    See Original
    Inverse View

    It is not the case that A three-self theory of the Trinity like Swinburne's is false.

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • If a three-self theory were true, one or more members of the Trinity would have wrongfully deceived us by leading us to falsely believe that there is only one divine self.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.The biblical monotheistic formula 'the Lord our God is one' (Deut 6:4) predicates numerical oneness of a single divine subject, not unity among three.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Swinburne's three-self model requires reinterpreting 'one God' as mere cooperation or love-unity, which lacks exegetical warrant in the source texts.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.A theory requiring systematic reinterpretation of foundational theological data to avoid contradiction is, by Ockhamist parsimony standards, less credible than unitarian alternatives.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Swinburne's model entails that the Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct centers of consciousness with potentially divergent preferences, making trinitarian action conceptually fragile.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Peter van Inwagen and others have shown that social trinitarianism of this type is functionally indistinguishable from polytheism absent an ad hoc 'one substance' constraint.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.A theory that requires ad hoc metaphysical constraints to avoid entailing polytheism fails the criterion of theoretical elegance demanded by classical perfect-being theology.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.