A Problem with God

[Robbo]

Yeah but what robbo is saying in order for him to do that the event must have happened for him stop it from happening and if he does so he (god) would know it has happened.

i think that is what robbo's point was

Exactly right Duncan, I see Buddha's point but it's academic here because I don't have to think outside of our intellectual / spiritual abilities to create this paradox; like all other paradoxes, it's been crafted well within our range of thought.


As for implying God can do anything and this providing the coverall answer isn't gonna work in this instance because all we then do is conjour up another paradox in answering this one, that of, can an omnipotent god make himself forget?

Well that goes one of two ways:-

a) Yes he can because he is all powerful or

b) No he can't because he is all powerful and nothing could make him forget anything.

As you see, we answer one problem with another and in the realm of trying to find solutions to paradoxes, that's a 'no no'.

 

[Duncan Berry]

having said that robbo even if God could forget it still wouldnt change the fact at one point the event took place

 

[Robbo]

And to throw in another intriguing paradox at this point just to attune the mind, I shall share the Prisoner Paradox with you and then we can all go screaming to the loony bin together.

Two prisoners are banged up awaiting execution, they have no idea when they are gonna be executed until one fateful Saturday night when the guard comes into their cell and declares, 'Good evening gentlemen, I have some news for you, you will both be executed at some time in the next 7 days, I am gonna leave it as a surprise as to which day you do get executed; And so have fun in the time you have left guys, however much time that is, cheerio'.

The prisoners look at each other but one of the prisoners has a grin from ear to ear, his friend looks on in disbelief and questions the smile upon his cellmate's face.

The guy with the grin explains, 'it's OK, we can't be executed, we are safe, woooo hooo'.

The other prisoner can't believe this and desperately asks for him to explain why he thinks that....'well, my friend, the guard said, it would be a surprise as to what day we would be executed and since we can only be executed in the next 7 days, the last possible day that could happen would be Saturday'.

The bemused friend nods silently in eager agreement.

'Well, the guard also said it would be a surprise and so it couldn't be Saturday because if we got to Friday night without being killed then Saturday wouldn't be a surprise at all, it would be obvious to us both it would have to be the next day, but it can't coz then it wouldn't be a surprise'

The bemused friend once again nods silently in agreement.

'Well, if we know it ain't gonna be Saturday, then it can't be Friday either by the same reasoning' ........' and the same argument for Thursday and so on'

The bemused friend suddenly doesn't look so bemused and he too is then wearing a grin from ear to ear ........

The point is, they do executed but where is the flaw in his thinking ....?

 

[Robbo]

having said that robbo even if God could forget it still wouldnt change the fact at one point the event took place

Very true, good point young man, which of course tells me you truly do understand the problem .....Hmmmm, I'm not so sure I like the fact your IQ might be near mine ... I'll have to ban you

 

[Duncan Berry]

lol robbo you have way to much time on your hands


(about the prisoner paradox)


hahahaha banned for understanding i like it

 

[Robbo]

I've been told that ....... actually, these threads are not so much a product of too much time on my hands as an unhealthy mind that keeps going places I don't want it to ... I think I may need therapy, hmmm, then again, better not

 

[Robbo]

hahahaha banned for understanding i like it

Noooo, not banned for understanding, banned for maybe getting close to my IQ

 

[Duncan Berry]

I've been told that ....... actually, these threads are not so much a product of too much time on my hands as an unhealthy mind that keeps going places I don't want it to ... I think I may need therapy, hmmm, then again, better not

the curse of genius lol

 

[Robbo]

the curse of genius lol

...tell me about it .... ...... it's been a monkey on my back that I've had to sufffer for years

 

[Ceicj]

And to throw in another intriguing paradox at this point just to attune the mind, I shall share the Prisoner Paradox with you and then we can all go screaming to the loony bin together.

Two prisoners are banged up awaiting execution, they have no idea when they are gonna be executed until one fateful Saturday night when the guard comes into their cell and declares, 'Good evening gentlemen, I have some news for you, you will both be executed at some time in the next 7 days, I am gonna leave it as a surprise as to which day you do get executed; And so have fun in the time you have left guys, however much time that is, cheerio'.

The prisoners look at each other but one of the prisoners has a grin from ear to ear, his friend looks on in disbelief and questions the smile upon his cellmate's face.

The guy with the grin explains, 'it's OK, we can't be executed, we are safe, woooo hooo'.

The other prisoner can't believe this and desperately asks for him to explain why he thinks that....'well, my friend, the guard said, it would be a surprise as to what day we would be executed and since we can only be executed in the next 7 days, the last possible day that could happen would be Saturday'.

The bemused friend nods silently in eager agreement.

'Well, the guard also said it would be a surprise and so it couldn't be Saturday because if we got to Friday night without being killed then Saturday wouldn't be a surprise at all, it would be obvious to us both it would have to be the next day, but it can't coz then it wouldn't be a surprise'

The bemused friend once again nods silently in agreement.

'Well, if we know it ain't gonna be Saturday, then it can't be Friday either by the same reasoning' ........' and the same argument for Thursday and so on'

The bemused friend suddenly doesn't look so bemused and he too is then wearing a grin from ear to ear ........

The point is, they do executed but where is the flaw in his thinking ....?

i believe i have a good paradox to share
a Cretan states he and his people are liars, so if all Cretans are liars, and the Cretan told us so, then it cannot be true, but if it is not true that Cretans are liars, then the statement stands, but then it is true that all Cretans are liars, so it must be a lie... and so on Or...If the Cretan is indeed a liar like he is claiming, despite him being a liar, then not all Cretans are liars, simply the Cretan is indeed a liar but not ALL Cretans are liars.