Paradox: Can God create something bigger than himself?

[Willamena]

What could be an answer towards a question like this: "Can God create something bigger than himself?"

One answer is that there is nothing that is not god.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I'm not sure I understood your last sentence

Ha. I didn't understand it myself. I rather not live a lie for the greater good.

If God told a lie, we wouldn't necessarily know. Perhaps God thinks it benefits us to live a lie that we don't know is a lie. People believing things that are not true, but they don't know, because it somehow works out better in the end.

If they are, some feel better not knowing if it is a lie because, I guess, somehow knowing it is a lie changes the relationship they feel they have with God. (Thinking a particular friend in mind)

 

[Shiranui117]

What could be an answer towards a question like this: "Can God create something bigger than himself?"

"God has a size?"

 

[GoodbyeDave]

It's an old paradox, usually phrased as "could God create something greater than himself", and intended to explore whether the idea of omnipotence is coherent.

Omnipotence obviously cannot include the capability to do the impossible (make a three-sided square) or to do something incompatible with the divine nature (do evil). The idea of any cause creating a superior effect seems impossible to me, but some philosophers disagree.

 

[SSDSSDSSD3]

I will reply, "no", but I must say your question was very, hard to give an answer to, (because monotheistic beliefs believe God is all powerful and can create anything, leading this question difficult). If you are polytheistic, the answer can be different as the Tritons created the Olympians.

 

[`mud]

To state an apparent ability of this given 'god',
'it' can hold the entire Cosmos in it's hand.
And scratching it's forehead with the other,
while licking it's elbow at the same time.
Lift what ???
~
One must believe, shant one ?
~
'mud

 

[Levite]

What could be an answer towards a question like this: "Can God create something bigger than himself?"

God is not physical, so "big" is not a qualitative measure with which He can be measured. And God is infinite, so in a broader sense, nothing, by definition, can be "bigger" than Him, since there is nothing greater than infinity.

 

[metis]

God is not physical, so "big" is not a qualitative measure with which He can be measured. And God is infinite, so in a broader sense, nothing, by definition, can be "bigger" than Him, since there is nothing greater than infinity.

Just a question for ya: if you believe God is infinite, is this approach an endorsement of panentheism or pantheism by you?

 

[Levite]

Just a question for ya: if you believe God is infinite, is this approach an endorsement of panentheism or pantheism by you?

Definitely not pantheism, since I believe God transcends the universe. I would say more a modified panentheism, since I think that God is essentially omnipresent, but that the universe (and all things within it) are legitimately created phenomena, with independent existence and of independent substance, thus creating minute spaces which are not completely and utterly occupied by God.

 

[metis]

Definitely not pantheism, since I believe God transcends the universe. I would say more a modified panentheism, since I think that God is essentially omnipresent, but that the universe (and all things within it) are legitimately created phenomena, with independent existence and of independent substance, thus creating minute spaces which are not completely and utterly occupied by God.

Thanks for your response.

 

[Fraleyight]

Op, do you define God as omnipotent? If so, your question contains a logical absurdity and is malformed.

 

[Fraleyight]

This is basically another version of the "omnipotent paradox" here is the problem...

Omnipotence is generally defined as "the ability to do anything logically possible" (this is the definition most philosophers will use)

Logically possible is usually defined as " A spoken statement without a contradiction"

now, we obviously need to define terms and all but I believe what the OP is actually asking is " can God create something "greater" than himself. Not "bigger" but lets just say God is the "biggest" possible thing to exist. nothing can match his size. ( I am making this assumption because thee only reason I can think OP would ask this question is if he assumed there was a contradiction showing god has limits in power)


Ok, so we have defined what omnipotence is now lets see if God can be omnipotent.

God "the biggest thing in existence" is asked to create something "bigger than him" This is not possible for him to do because it is "logically impossible" so it does not demonstrate a problem with omnipotence.

 

[`mud]

It could lift anything that it created,
but not itself !
~
'mud

 

[tjgillies]

What could be an answer towards a question like this: "Can God create something bigger than himself?"

Is_bigger?(object, GOD)

Error: GOD has no attribute: "size"

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

How can anything be bigger than infinity?

 

[Yerda]

How can anything be bigger than infinity?

It can be a bigger infinity.

 

[Desert Snake]

Yes, He can.



Therefore?

 

[metis]

How can anything be bigger than infinity?

Super-Infinity?

 

[Ouroboros]

How can anything be bigger than infinity?

Two infinities?


Plus one.

 

[`mud]

I don't know anything about the immense quantity,
but it's the container that bothers me !
~
'mud