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    If divine existence is not an abstractum but a sui generi... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→On a Plantinga-style approach, God cannot be identical to his existence.

    If divine existence is not an abstractum but a sui generis act of being, Premise 3's prohibition on concrete-abstract identity does not apply to the God-existence identity claim.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.Metaphysical categories (abstract/concrete) derive from created being's structure; God's being transcends these derivative categories entirely.
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    • 2.Sui generis acts of being possess unique identity conditions; standard prohibition on cross-category identity does not govern non-standard ontological modes.
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    • 3.Aquinas's actus purus framework describes God as pure act, not instantiating but constituting existence itself—a metaphysically distinct relation.
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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Invoking 'sui generis' status to exempt God from identity conditions risks making the claim logically unfalsifiable and metaphysically inert.
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    • 2.If abstract/concrete distinction fails for God, we lose explanatory leverage for distinguishing God's necessity from abstract objects' necessity.
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    • 3.The claim merely relocates the problem: explaining how a 'sui generis act' coherently identifies with something—God—requires the very principles invoked to avoid.
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    Divine Attributes1 linked

    Related

    Aquinas's actus purus framework describes God as pure act, not instantiating but...If abstract/concrete distinction fails for God, we lose explanatory leverage for...Invoking 'sui generis' status to exempt God from identity conditions risks makin...Metaphysical categories (abstract/concrete) derive from created being's structur...
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    On a Plantinga-style approach, God cannot be identical to his existence.Sui generis acts of being possess unique identity conditions; standard prohibiti...The claim merely relocates the problem: explaining how a 'sui generis act' coher...

    Details

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    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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    1 edit