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    Therefore, the perfectly unified will constitutive of omn... — Carmelics
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    Supports→An omnibenevolent being and an omnipotent being cannot be identical, because their properties conflict.

    Therefore, the perfectly unified will constitutive of omnibenevolence structurally precludes the unrestricted agential power that omnipotence demands, making the two attributes incompatible in a single being.

    ?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.Perfect benevolence requires necessarily willing the good and rejecting evil, constraining the will's freedom to actualize harmful possibilities.
      ?

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    • 2.Omnipotence demands the ability to actualize any logically possible state, including worlds containing genuine evil or moral wrongs.
      ?

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    • 3.A will that necessarily excludes willing evil cannot possess the power to actualize evil, creating a genuine logical incompatibility.
      ?

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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Omnipotence is coherently limited to logically possible acts; unable-to-sin is not a power-limitation but a logical necessity like circular-square.
      ?

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    • 2.Perfect benevolence and free will may be compatible if the omnibenevolent being freely desires the good and could have chosen otherwise in principle.
      ?

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    • 3.An omnipotent being could actualize evil through created agents while maintaining perfect benevolence in its own operations and permissions.
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    Key Terms

    Omnibenevolence(as one quality claimed of a perfect God)
    Being perfectly good in every way; having unlimited kindness, compassion, and moral goodness.
    Unified will(describing a quality of an omnibenevolent being's decision-making)
    When someone's desires and decisions all point in one direction without internal conflict or competing goals.
    constitutive of(as used in metaphysics)
    Something that is essential to making something what it is—if you remove it, the thing is no longer that thing.
    incompatible(as used to describe conflicting demands or responsibilities)
    Unable to exist or work together at the same time; conflicting with each other.
    omnipotence(Bruno's theological framework)
    God's primary attribute as designated by the Apostles' Creed, entailing that all possibilities are actualized
    structurally precludes(explaining why two things cannot work together)
    Makes something logically impossible or impossible by the very nature of how things are organized; rules something out completely.
    unrestricted agential power(explaining what omnipotence requires)
    The complete freedom to act however one wants, with no limits on what choices or actions are possible.

    Connections

    2 topics

    Against an attribute of God1 linkedDivine Attributes1 linked

    Related

    A will that necessarily excludes willing evil cannot possess the power to actual...An omnibenevolent being and an omnipotent being cannot be identical, because the...

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit
    An omnipotent being could actualize evil through created agents while maintainin...
    Omnipotence demands the ability to actualize any logically possible state, inclu...
    +3 moreShow less
    Omnipotence is coherently limited to logically possible acts; unable-to-sin is n...Perfect benevolence and free will may be compatible if the omnibenevolent being ...Perfect benevolence requires necessarily willing the good and rejecting evil, co...