Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Can God write a Philosophy Book?

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123>
Author
Brian J Checco View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
Eli Manning

Joined: 30-Jan-2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 925
  Quote Brian J Checco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Can God write a Philosophy Book?
    Posted: 15-Feb-2008 at 22:28
No, I'd have to say Paul's initial question forms a perfect example of a logical paradox. If God's Word is infallible, then here is no need to explore outside possibilities or paradigm shifts. If God's Word is not infallible, then all of creation comes undone, no? So, technically, if God were to philosophize at all, all of creation would be reduced to void, and we would have no way of knowing about it if he ever did. Also, if God is omnipotent, then there is no need for him to philosophize and explore new ideas, since he already knows them all- ergo, the question is solved before it could be posed.

Good thought, Paul!
My Name is Eli Manning. Ponce owns my soul.
Back to Top
Paul View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
AE Immoderator

Joined: 21-Aug-2004
Location: Hyperborea
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 952
  Quote Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Feb-2008 at 22:40
Finally someone gets the idea of the question....Clap
 
 
there's an old episode of the Twighlight zone with Ron Glass as the Devil where to save his soul a professor has to give him a command to do something he can't do.
 
 
I was trying to come up the same if it was me and god in their place......
 
 


Edited by Paul - 15-Feb-2008 at 22:41
Light blue touch paper and stand well back

http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk

http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk
Back to Top
Brian J Checco View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
Eli Manning

Joined: 30-Jan-2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 925
  Quote Brian J Checco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 02:28
Well, it seems to me you found it, Paul, old bean!

Now, it's off to that game of cards. I believe I will pose this self-same question to my fellow gamblers. Perhaps it will distract them enough as so I can fleece them blind... inspiring, Paul. Truly magnificent. 

Edited by Brian J Checco - 16-Feb-2008 at 02:29
My Name is Eli Manning. Ponce owns my soul.
Back to Top
Omar al Hashim View Drop Down
King
King

Suspended

Joined: 05-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5697
  Quote Omar al Hashim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 09:49
Maybe I am not understanding properly, but I don't see any logical paradox, because I don't see any reason for a book written by an all-knowing being to
(a) Contain all knowledge
(b) Not be directed at its target audience.

The book encourages you to think in a particular way. I don't see it as a requirement of a philosophy book to contain errors. (Call me an Engineer but if the writer doesn't think its right why the hell am I reading it?)


Edited by Omar al Hashim - 16-Feb-2008 at 09:49
Back to Top
Akolouthos View Drop Down
Sultan
Sultan
Avatar

Joined: 24-Feb-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2091
  Quote Akolouthos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 09:53
I'm a bit perplexed as well, Omar. It's surely an interesting question, but I fail to see the paradox unless both "God" and "philosophy" are interpreted in very specific ways.
 
-Akolouthos
Back to Top
Brian J Checco View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
Eli Manning

Joined: 30-Jan-2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 925
  Quote Brian J Checco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 09:58
Retake those philosophy 101's, gentlemen.

PS- Aklothuos, being the AE's numero uno semanticist when it comes to early-Christian logic, surely you can see how fellows might be nit-picky when it comes to philosophy...
My Name is Eli Manning. Ponce owns my soul.
Back to Top
Akolouthos View Drop Down
Sultan
Sultan
Avatar

Joined: 24-Feb-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2091
  Quote Akolouthos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 10:07
Aye, Brian, I can see the need to be nit-picky. Perhaps it is because I am tired. Wink Would you do me the favor of setting out the paradox in a simple format? I may be able to understand it a bit better then.
 
-Akolouthos
Back to Top
Brian J Checco View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
Eli Manning

Joined: 30-Jan-2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 925
  Quote Brian J Checco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 18:36
Certainly.

1- A paradox can be an apparently true statement or group of statements that leads to a contradiction or a situation which defies intuition; the premises themselves cannot all be true together. - Wiki

2- Though no single definition of philosophy is uncontroversial, and the field has historically expanded and changed depending upon what kinds of questions were interesting or relevant in a given era, it is generally agreed that philosophy is a method, rather than a set of claims, propositions, or theories. Its investigations are based upon rational thinking, striving to make no unexamined assumptions and no leaps based on faith or pure analogy.
-Wiki

3- omniscient

/omnissint/

   adjective knowing everything.

   DERIVATIVES omniscience noun omnisciently adverb.

   ORIGIN Latin omnisciens, from scire to know. (In monotheistic religions, this ability is attributed only to God.)-Oxford English Dictionary

4- If God (and only God) knows everything and philosophy is a method for the non-omniscient of questioning the unknown, then by his very own omniscience, God is incapable of philosophizing (applying a rational method of questioning) because he already knows everything that has, is, and will be.

5- Ergo, the initial question, if put into an assertive statement (i.e. "God can write a philosophy book."), constitutes a logical paradox by putting two contradictory concrete ideas into a single sentence or thought. Since God is omniscient and therefore cannot question that which he already knows (which is everything), the statement is paradoxical.

Hope that helps, buddy.




Edited by Brian J Checco - 16-Feb-2008 at 19:02
My Name is Eli Manning. Ponce owns my soul.
Back to Top
Guests View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 22:19
I agree with Akolouthos here. Paul's argument/question relies on a specific interpretation of the word 'philosophy'. Some philosophers would argue that philosophy should not be defined as such. Then again some philosophers would argue otherwise. The contradiction itself therefore supports the first case.
Back to Top
Brian J Checco View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
Eli Manning

Joined: 30-Jan-2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 925
  Quote Brian J Checco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2008 at 22:31
Originally posted by Brian J Checco



2- Though no single definition of philosophy is uncontroversial, and the field has historically expanded and changed depending upon what kinds of questions were interesting or relevant in a given era, it is generally agreed that philosophy is a method, rather than a set of claims, propositions, or theories. Its investigations are based upon rational thinking, striving to make no unexamined assumptions and no leaps based on faith or pure analogy.
-Wiki




Even in the most general definition, philosophy is a method of inquisition. An omniscient being has no need to apply an inquisitive method, since everything is already known to said-being. This really isn't so terribly difficult to grasp, I hope. Quite a simple notion, really.
My Name is Eli Manning. Ponce owns my soul.
Back to Top
Omar al Hashim View Drop Down
King
King

Suspended

Joined: 05-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5697
  Quote Omar al Hashim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Feb-2008 at 02:07
Well as anyone who is familiar with logic more than philosophy all I can say is one the axiomatic rules is:
A&~A
Therefore B

So if you have indeed constructed a paradox, that mathematically proves the existence of God.
Back to Top
Brian J Checco View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
Eli Manning

Joined: 30-Jan-2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 925
  Quote Brian J Checco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Feb-2008 at 02:24
Haha, I believe that would be a topic for a different thread, Omar. 
My Name is Eli Manning. Ponce owns my soul.
Back to Top
Paul View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
AE Immoderator

Joined: 21-Aug-2004
Location: Hyperborea
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 952
  Quote Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Feb-2008 at 10:19
Simple question, we set god a task.
 
Write an essay on the middle east crises.
 
He gives it his best effort based upon all his knowledge and power.
 
We then read it, find all the errors he made, circle them in red pen..... and give him a B-
 
We then send god to school so he may improve his knowledge.
 
agree?
 
 
 
 


Edited by Paul - 17-Feb-2008 at 10:20
Light blue touch paper and stand well back

http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk

http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk
Back to Top
Guests View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Feb-2008 at 10:26
I don't believe there is enough paper in the world for such a task Paul. 
Back to Top
Omar al Hashim View Drop Down
King
King

Suspended

Joined: 05-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5697
  Quote Omar al Hashim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Feb-2008 at 00:04
Write an essay on the middle east crises.
 
He gives it his best effort based upon all his knowledge and power.
 
We then read it, find all the errors he made, circle them in red pen..... and give him a B-
 
We then send god to school so he may improve his knowledge.
 
agree?

Ha ha. That would just show the ignorance of the teacher combined with the arrogance of the system.
Back to Top
xi_tujue View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke
Avatar
Atabeg

Joined: 19-May-2006
Location: Belgium
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1919
  Quote xi_tujue Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Feb-2008 at 00:11
God can do what ever it likes


not going to refere to God as He thats sexist and God has no gender
I rather be a nomadic barbarian than a sedentary savage
Back to Top
Paul View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
AE Immoderator

Joined: 21-Aug-2004
Location: Hyperborea
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 952
  Quote Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Feb-2008 at 00:37
Are you suggesting god's essay couldn't be improved by us?
Light blue touch paper and stand well back

http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk

http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk
Back to Top
JanusRook View Drop Down
Sultan
Sultan
Avatar
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

Joined: 03-Aug-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2419
  Quote JanusRook Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Feb-2008 at 05:38
Are you suggesting god's essay couldn't be improved by us?


Seeing as how essays are subjective I was under the impression that "improvement" of one would be an artificial improvement. Since I know when I finish an essay I'm perfectly content that it needs no improvement at all.
Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.

Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
Back to Top
Brian J Checco View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar
Eli Manning

Joined: 30-Jan-2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 925
  Quote Brian J Checco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Feb-2008 at 06:08
As an editor of essays myself, I can tell you that any and all essays could always use improvement. 
My Name is Eli Manning. Ponce owns my soul.
Back to Top
Omar al Hashim View Drop Down
King
King

Suspended

Joined: 05-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5697
  Quote Omar al Hashim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Feb-2008 at 07:48
Are you suggesting god's essay couldn't be improved by us?
Yes.
How could you possibly think you could improve it?
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.