The Paradox Of Omnipotence Philosophy Essay

The Paradox Of Omnipotence Philosophy Essay While tackling free will as a solution to the problem of evil, Mackie who holds that the problem adequately makes the existence of an omnipotent, wholly good God irrational, argues that God in his omnipotence could have made man with a free will to always choose the right thing. Gods failure to intervene in the evil application of free will can only be justified thus: that God gave man the highest liberty that He cannot control mans will. However, herein arises the paradox of omnipotence. If God created men so free that he cannot control their wills, then there is something he cannot do he cannot control mans will and would thus not be omnipotent, but if it be that God has the ability to have control over mans will, then He has failed at something creating a man whose will He has no control over and thus would not be omnipotent. When the query we are considering is phrased as a question: can God create a man who has such freedom that God cannot intervene in his actions, answering e ither yes or no leads to the implication that God fails at doing something and thus cannot be omnipotent. This paper will focus on the paradox of Omnipotence which would in and of itself prove the irrationality of the existence of a God who has a primary component of omnipotence. The mention of the sorounding content of Mackies paper Evil and Omnipotence only serves as background information on how he comes to encounter the paradox to be debated. I will define omnipotence, present the paradox in the common place example of the stone, then recount the paradox of omnipotence as Mackie describes it. The second part of my paper will attempt to solve the paradox of omnipotence by considering a restructured definition of the trouble presented by the paradox of omnipotence where I will categorize degrees of failure in levels. After observing that restrictions to omnipotence defeat the term itself, I will consider if the paradox can be solved rationally if the omnipotent being existed in timelessness. I will use the term omnipotence to mean all powerful. The paradox of omnipotence is commonly exemplified by the riddlelike question that one was told naughty children asked their pastors: whether God can create a stone he cannot lift where he answers in the affirmative, he would be admitting Gods inability to create a stone of certain characteristics, if he answered in the negative he would be admitting that there is something God cannot do lift the stone after creating it, thus each either answer would contradict omnipotence, a central tenement for the God of Western tradition. Mackie defines the God in question as omnipotent, discredits the coherence of omnipotence and therefore discredits the existence of a God defined with a primary characteristic of omnipotence. Like those who ask about the creation of the unliftable stone, Mackie asks whether God can create a being that he cannot control in the case of the man with free will. To the his objectors response (which he had anticipated earlier in the paper) that God creates casual laws or rules of logic which he chooses to follow, Mackie asks whether the omnipotent being can make rules which bind his power. This question plays out like that of creating of an omnipotent God creating man with free will: If God could create casual rules, despite choosing to follow them freely, His powers would be restricted by these rules and after their creation , He could do what these rules restrict Him from. Should the answer be negative, then there is something he cannot do he fails at the ability to create the causal laws. Mackie then says that one cannot respond by saying that his questions are not proper because if the a question of a similar nature was asked about man and machines: whether man can create a machine over which he has no control over, the question would be considered sound. He thus points to the notion of omnipotence as the source of the problem. He appreciates that theological determinists would argue that man in his assembly predisposed the machine to act in certain ways as did God in his creation of man and that being omniscient God was already aware of the specific actions man would take. However, Mackie highlights that the question is not on Gods original influence at creation but His continuos influence. Mackie compares the probability of Gods restriction by the laws of nature to a parliament that creates a law that liquidates its power. Can a parliament create a law that nullifies its power? If one answers yes, they would be considering a as a laws something set by a body that would no longer be valid as the item of governance. Yet if they say no, one would be denying the sovereignty of the body by saying there is a law it cant make. Contrasting actions arrive to the same denial of omnipotence. This implies that omnipotence as a concept is logically incoherent. Mackie solves this paradox by distinguishing between laws that govern the land (which he names first order laws) and laws that govern the law making body( which he calls second order laws). He says we can consider a parliament to have absolute power over the first order laws or a present parliament which has both absolute power over creation of laws for the land and laws governing itself but that we cannot conceive of a parli ament having control over laws that govern parliament yet guarantee that future parliaments will have absolute power over first order laws because the present parliament may remove a parliaments ability to create laws of the land. We can reconcile God and the laws of logic in the same way. If Gods powers were considered in the categories of power over creation and power to create the rules which creation shall follow. Then we can conceive of God always having omnipotence but none of his creation can have free will or that at one instance God could have both first and second order omnipotence in which he creates laws for creation to follow independently thereafter creation would determine its future in accordance with the laws assigned but that God would have relinquished his first order omnipotence of directly determining the actions of all of creation. Mackie reaches the conclusion that God can have omnipotence if it is categorized as above: one eternally or to have one and two at one instant but to forever relinquish 1 but not both powers continuously unless God were to exist outside time. I find Mackies attempt to reconcile omnipotence over eternity by creating orders compelling. It feels more natural to have an omnipotent being who cannot create a stone that he cant lift than it does to have him lack the ability to lift a stone. There is something to be said about that. Perhaps because the latter, yes, he can create a being that he cannot control seems self defeating and would in itself express a limit to his power in a positive sense. I say positive sense because something would exist of which he would not wield power over. That object in that sense would have power over him so to speak. However, in the first case of answering, no an omnipotent being cannot create something that he cannot control, it appears to be in accordance with his power that he does not create an object embedded with a limit to his power. Because no indicates that this object cannot be brought into existence, in its consideration it is an abstract limit to his power, not as real as that being he cannot control when we answer yes because that being already exists. This view would lead to levels of failure where in the first level of failure would be failing to create a stone he cannot lift is considered a comparatively more powerful state than the second level of there existing the being that cannot be controlled. Though the analogy is not exact to Mackies this is to say that I cannot equate my first level to his first order and my second level to his second order, it borrows from Mackie that we would have to put a restriction to explain or have omnipotence. Nevertheless I ran into the same point of the paradox that Mackie runs into: that the existence of the restriction contradicts the concept of omnipotence. Omnipotence is absolute and cannot have exception for this or the other ability. The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy defines omnipotence as maximal power so that the being possessing it only need to have a total power that beats every other beings, not the ability to do everything. This suggests a distinction between power and ability. Such omnipotent being is conceivable but is this really omnipotence? There is the suggestion of an essentially omnipotent being who cannot will Himself out of omnipotent, here again we run into the paradox. How can an all powerful being fail at something willing himself out of omnipotence. But if He could, He wouldnt be omnipotent, thus we would loose the eternity. If the discussion were to halt here, I would agree with Mackie that omnipotence is incoherent. However, there is the suggestion of God existing in timeless which Mackie touches on but immediately dismisses that might yet solve our paradox without proven irrational. Omnipotence as power in an absolute state would entail the ability to influence events which would appear to be beyond influence for being defined as past events. If God existed in time then, time would be his master and this would add to the unfeasibility of omnipotence. However, if we were to consider God to exist outside the frame of time, in timelessness, this would remove the confine of time. Suppose God could posses life all at once, as the Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy includes in the definition of timelessness. Imagine an instance that was eternal, so that events would not be a sequence within time but one unity as if they were simulteneous this would be the scope of this Gods life. Perhaps as all the time periods of the universe compressed as into one which He would experience as a whole. It is quite challenging to define timelessness without applying terms that refer to finite time because the words are all formed with reference to time and in defining timelessness w ould be negating ie. saying not time. Even the encyclopedias words life all at once use the word once which is itself takes from time. But this does not mean that the something like this supreme being cannot exist in timelessness. If one considers time as a frame, it suggests the possiblilty of factors outside time itself bringing this frame into existence. If we consider defining time in terms of change:We can observe the age of statue by observing it wear Sometimes we define time in terms of the change of the frame so that if we created a statue that did not wear out, we can observe (through the sense of sight) that it has existed for such and such a time by observing the change in its environment. Change around an object that isnt extended in space might be harder to quantify, but perhaps this would serve no purpose for if this being was experiencing all of life simultenously, there would be no change and thus no time. If it was the case that God experienced life all at once and there was happiness and sadness on earth, He would experience them both simulteneously. Perhaps contradiction is a term defined by the rules of our logic just the way there was a time when men laughed at the thought of flying but today we have planes. Ability and contradiction might defined in terms of the realm of possiblity perceived by that generation. Perhaps the contradiction even a frame of the human mind operating in a universe subject to natural laws and logic but just as the universe exists there could exists something other forms ( non universe forms) that follow different laws, perhaps even laws of contradiction if one can envision such a world, Gods form could be one such. The God of contradiction could create a stone that he cant lift, yet as all of life is in an instant, he would (at what would appear to us to be a different time) lift it as well. We can thus not rule out an omnipotent being in timelessness where omnipotence is conceivable. I agree with Mackie that a God who is eternally omnipotent, having absolute omnipotence to both influence events and create laws to govern how events are influenced is incoherent because he could at one instant create the rule that would restrict Himself from further influencing events. However, I disagree with Mackies dismissal of the concept of God in timelessness: if it is conceivable that God can experience life all at once: what to us would appear to be a sequence of events at different times within the frame of time would occur at one eternal instant so contradictions could occur. Perhaps if the definition of a thing is determined by the existence of its opposite, that we only notice red because other colors exist and perhaps if there were no other color we would just never conceive of any color altogether, if time exists, perhaps it is because we can imagine timelessness, or its possibility. Timelessness cannot be ruled out, consequently neither can an omnipotence that Mackie can grant if timelessness existed.

Authority in King Lear

Kayla Jacklin Dr. Treschow English 153 25 March 2013 Power Corrupts a Happily Ever After The theme of authority is prominent in William Shakespeare’s play King Lear. The play has many situations that allow readers to observe the negative effects that ones authority can have, and the negative effects that the lust for power will bring. Having authority is an important responsibility that is often misused. Even in today’s society there are world leaders either taking the wrong irrational action or taking no action at all, which results in consequences for themselves and their people.In Shakespeare’s play we are presented with the idea that having a great deal of authority can make one seem â€Å"blind† by making poor thoughtless decisions. These characters, and the readers of the play, will learn something from those mistakes through observing the outcomes the characters are faced with. Also in our society, there is corruption from a strong desire for power. Throughout history many dictators and tyrants have caused disruption for the people from their personal greed.In Shakespeare’s play, the characters who have a strong want for power will causes corruption which can teach the readers the downfalls of authoritative behavior. When a person of high power ends up in a situation they are not pleased with, they often act irrationally. Most times they act too quickly without proper analysis of the situation, leading to poor decisions. An example of this occurs in the play when King Lear decides to split up his kingdom equally among his three daughters. He asks his daughters to express their love for him, which he will use to decide who gets which land.The most love and admiration will get the best land. When Lear finds out Cordelia, the daughter he loves most, has the least love to express he acts unreasonably. Lear is furious, and he banishes Cordelia from the kingdom, refusing to give her the power he initially intended too. He deg rades her in front of her possible suitors, making her undesirable to the Duke of Burgundy. This scene portrays how Lear is blind to his daughter’s intentions from his self centered personality. Authority often makes one self centered because they are constantly worshipped by other people and they do not hear things they disapprove of often.Cordelia does not love her father the least, she is attempting to use honesty to show how her two sisters were exaggerating and lying about their love for Lear. Lear sees this as pure betrayal because he is used to being bowed down to at any expense. Cordelia doesn’t express the great love he is expecting, so he is stunned. This causes him to act irrationally without thinking anything through or trying to understand the situation. Here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity, and property of blood, And as a stranger to my heart and meHold thee from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian, Or he that makes his generation messes To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom Be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved As thou my sometime daughter. – (Shakespeare 1. 1. 110-117) Lear tells Cordelia how he has disowned her from the royal family and then tells her that he cares for her as much as he cares for savages that eat their own children. This extreme reaction from Lear illustrates how power has corrupted his thinking. Lear provides another example of acting irrationally, but with Kent this time.Kent argues with Lear about his decision to banish Cordelia. Kent believes Lear is making the wrong decision, and being the nobleman he is, he must attempt to change it. Since Kent is a noble man he will stand up for what is right, even if that means doubting his majesty’s decisions. â€Å"See better, Lear, and let me still remain/ The true blank of thine eye† (Shakespeare 1. 1. 156-157). Kent tells Lear to see better because Lear is misunderstanding Cordelia’s intentions. But because Lear is being so arrogant, he refuses to understand Kent and banishes him also.Lear’s arrogance will lead to an unhappy ending for all, just like Dan Brayton states in his journal article: â€Å"What Lear cannot see, and what is perhaps glimpsed by Cordelia and Kent in their reactions to Lear's living will, is that the process of division initiated with the display of the map will become uncontrol-lable, as the play proceeds to leave nearly all of its major characters propertyless, bereft, or dead† (402). Lear is blind to the good intentions of Kent and Cordelia, which brings punishments upon himself.These irrational decisions lead to negative consequences for Lear. After Cordelia is banished, all the power is split between his other two daughters Goneril and Regan. In their deep lust for power, Goneril and Regan turn on Lear. Now that the two daughters have all the power they feel no need to respect their father and his wishes. They find no benefit in keeping him around and t hey find him a nuisance. The two daughters won’t let their father keep all his noble knights; they refuse to house the only thing he has left in his waning life.Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires, Men so disordered, so debauched and bold That this our court, infected with their manners, Shows like a riotous inn. Epicurism and lust Make it more like a tavern or a brothel Than a graced palace. The shame itself doth speak For instant remedy. Be then desired By her that else will take the thing she begs, A little to disquantity your train, – (Shakespeare 1. 4. 223-231) Goneril tells Lear that there are too many ill-mannered knights crowding the palace, and if he does not reduce their number she will do it herself.Lear has given Goneril and Regan all his power so he has no choice but to obey his daughters. He went from a King to a lonely old man because he was fooled by his two selfish daughters. The author of the journal article â€Å"Sex and Authority in â₠¬ËœHamlet, King Lear’ and ‘Pericles’†, Kay Stockholder, adds to this point: â€Å"Having lost Cordelia to another king, Lear embarks on an inner journey through desolate isolation and victimization† (26). Stockholder’s words can be interpreted such that Lear’s daughters Goneril and Regan isolate him by ignoring him and his wishes.Since Lear has given up his power he is slowly being forgotten. He then becomes Goneril’s and Regan’s victim in their thirst for power. Lear’s poor decisions have fueled his already coming insanity. Goneril and Regan betray their father in their personal desire for power, they are so concerned with their own well being they have lost all intent to care for and love their father. The double plot of this play, Lear and his daughters along with Gloucester and his sons, brings in another significant example with Gloucester and his two sons Edgar and Edmund.Edmund is Gloucester’s bastard son who seeks revenge and full inheritance from his father. Edmund knows that because he is the bastard son he will not be the son to take the place of his father; Edgar will. Edmund has been made to feel less than his brother his whole life and has a strong desire to be on top for once. In Edmund desire to get his father’s inheritance he will commit multiple acts of betrayal. He begins by telling his father of a fake letter which explains that Edgar is going to kill Gloucester.He then tells Edgar that Gloucester is angry with him and that he should avoid him till he can calm him down. Now that Edmund has created some tension, he expands on his plot. Edmund is with Edgar in Gloucester’s castle when they hear Gloucester coming. Edmund tells Edgar to flee for his safety while he draws his own sword and wounds himself. When Gloucester enters Edmund tells him Edgar wounded him. This angers Gloucester and he sends out servants to find Edgar for punishment. In addition to Gl oucester and Edgars plot, Gloucester is involved with King Lear.Cornwall and Regan have taken over Gloucester’s home and have forbidden him to help Lear. Gloucester knows he must help Lear, so he tells Edmund to distract Cornwall and Regan while he sneaks out to find Lear. Edmund immediately betrays his father by telling Cornwall and Regan what Gloucester has gone off to do. All this betrayal and cruelty come from Edmunds motivation to receive inheritance of his father; he wants the power from his father. These evil actions are a result of Edmunds greedy mentality, and with evil actions comes punishment like all of Shakespeare’s plays.At the end of the play, Edmund finally gets what he has coming for himself. Albany realizes Edmund committed treason and calls him to a duel. Just as the Herald calls up anyone who agrees so Albany’s assumption of Edmund, Edgar walks in and takes over the fight. Edmund falls and eventually dies. While Edmund is dying he comes to th e realization that his actions were wrong. I pant for life. Some good I mean to do Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send— Be brief in it—to th' castle, for my writ Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia. Nay, send in time! – (Shakespeare 5. . 242-246) Edmund appears to regret his wicked actions as he explains how he wishes he could live longer to do a little good. He also tells Albany and Edgar to go quickly to the castle in hope to save King Lear and Cordelia from the death he had sentenced on them. This gesture shows that he has recognized wrong from right and is making any attempt he can to do good before his life’s end. Along with Edmund learning from his actions, the audience too learns from his actions. Tragic endings like such are not pleasant, but they are eye openers for readers and observers.The readers can learn how the misuse of authority has negative effects without having to experience it themselves in real life. After observing the negat ive effects in the text, they can understand and recognize the same situations in real life to avoid them. Throughout King Lear attention is drawn to the idea that authority can have consequences if misused. The two plots in the play signify its importance by being very tragic and upsetting. King Lear’s loss of Cordelia shows how egotistical actions and misused power lead to loss. He is blind to the signs Cordelia and Kent present him with which eventually lead to his demise.Goneril and Regan exemplify how a strong aspiration for power can lead to insensitive and wrong decisions. They betray their father, and anyone who stands in their way. Edmund also exemplifies how an immense want for power leads to his demise by betraying the two people dearest to him, his father and brother, just to inherit the power of his father. He commits acts of pure evil from inner greed. Although the play introduces so many sinful acts and wrong doings upon characters, in the end the readers learn valuable lessons. Authority corrupts when it is taken too far.Authority must not be taken for granted, and it should be used wisely. It should be used for the good of the people, not just for the good of one. Work Cited Brayton, Dan. â€Å"Angling in the Lake of Darkness: Possession, Dispossession, and the Politics of Discovery in ‘King Lear’† ELH 70. 2 (2003): 399-426. Summons. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. Shakespeare, William. King Lear. New York: Pearson, 2005. Print. Longman Cultural Edition. Stockholder, Kay. â€Å"Sex and Authority in ‘Hamlet, King Lear’ and ‘Pericles’† Mosaic 18. 3 (1985): 17-29. Summons. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.

The Insider Secret on Experiential Learning Essay Samples of Animal Shelter Volunteering Discovered

The Insider Secret on Experiential Learning Essay Samples of Animal Shelter Volunteering Discovered These qualities are indispensable to anybody working with the animals in they can have the ability to interpret the way the animals respond to several environments. The majority of them rejected them yet they are among the absolute most humbled animals that is easily tamed by anyone including a young child. Working in an animal shelter is an excellent experience where one is educated on the best way to manage animals. Animal issues vary from one neighborhood to another. Here are 10 reasons why you need to volunteer at your regional animal shelter. Employed as a shelter volunteer, you will learn so much about what it requires to look after animals. Interested volunteers have to be comfortable with dogs. From burnout to stolen animals, you may be surprised at what shelter workers need to deal with. It's been observed that uncontrolled animals pose a danger to human beings. That life isn't as serious as it looks. Animal behavior isn't something which is set in stone. From the above mentioned experiment, it's been depicted that animals are social beings that may be affected by the social nature of the human beings. Choosing Good Experiential Learning Essay Samples of Animal Shelter Volunteering Each one that you handle presents a completely different set of personality traits and training problems. It's challenging work, but nevertheless, it may also be a rewarding procedure. The absolute most efficient format for cover letters can fluctuate , depending upon the opportunities they're targeting. Let them know how shocking it was to discover that you could actually do it. Folks often make the error of not listening carefully. To begin with, understand what you need done, states Downey. What You Should Do to Find Out About Experiential Learning Essay Samples of Animal Shelter Volunteering Before You're Left Behind That paperwork can be faxed to us at 812-349-3440 or you're able to bring it with you on your very first visit. You might be able to be placed on a volunteer waitlist. As soon as I began volunteering, I was searching for a mentor. This will help to make certain that you don't need to do all your volunteering in your free time, and will help you keep committed to and accountable for your volunteer responsibilities. Volunteers who are 13-15 decades old has to be accompanied by a legal guardian whatsoever times. When you find the very same people weekly, you say hello and really get to understand them. I've met some of my best friends. It would give people somewhere to volunteer at, and possibly even adopt a pet should they choose to. Experiential Learning Essay Samples of Animal Shelter Volunteering - What Is It? If you're able to afford 1 hour of your time, you could earn a massive difference in the life span of an animal. Additionally, it aims at discovering an appropriate region that may be used by the community for walking their dogs and playing with them just away from the shelter. Don't hesitate to intend on staying the day, if you would really like! If you don't observe that animal daily, it gets even harder. Employed as a volunteer is likely to make someone feel as though they are helping people and making a difference on the planet. It follows that anyone who offers to help c an expect to get shown proper methods of caring for animals, basic routines, and other details that ought to be known. If you're searching for work, volunteering is a great way to add experience and references for your course of life. Remember that, as I said previously, volunteer work isn't all fun. Experiential Learning Essay Samples of Animal Shelter Volunteering at a Glance But volunteering with a group of individuals who you already know have a minumum of one of the exact same interests as you do makes it much simpler. Working with people and having the ability to thrive in a diverse atmosphere is critical. A lot of people work unpaid in order to obtain experience in rather competitive fields like television, but some people can not describe them as volunteers. Eudaimonic well-being from volunteering are resulted when folks feel they matter on earth. Regrettably, in some specific instances it's necessary, given the present resources our regional community and the state need to offer. We need enthusiastic men and women that are eager to lead small group tours and assist with lessons locally. Community service is a good way for teens to learn how to give back to society and it seems good on college applications. Additionally, there are many national organizations devoted to placing volunteers where they're needed most. Volunteering is a rewarding experience, regardless of the period of time you are able to spare! Take trips and visit different organizations to discover about their programs. If that's the case, volunteering at an animal hospital, for example, would be a good opportunity. Read our volunteer requirements and finish our on-line volunteer application form.

Literture Final Exam Notes - 1143 Words

1st Semester Exam Review Questions English 4 SELECTIONS FOR TESTING 1. Beowulf 2. â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† 3. Canterbury Tales â€Å"Prologue† 4. â€Å"The Pardoner’s Tale† from CT 5. Sonnets 6. Elements of Style author’s names Terms (know by definition, characteristics or example). 1. Kenning: two-word poetic renamings of people, places, and things such as the kenning whales’ home for the sea ex from Beowulf: â€Å"I have come so far, / Oh shelterer of warriors and your people’s loved friend, / That this one favor you should not refuse me.† 2. Alliteration: the repitition of initial consonant sounds in accented syllables ex from Beowulf: â€Å"up from his swamland, sliding†¦show more content†¦Spenserian sonnet: rhymes abab bcbc cdcdee 29. Petrarchan sonnet: divided into an eight-line octave, rhyming abba abba, followed by a six-line sestet, rhyming cdecde 30. sonnet sequence: the one hundred or so sonnets are linked by theme or person addresed 31. rhyming couplet: often a dramatic statement that resolves, restates, or redefines the central problem of the sonnet 32. end rhyme scheme: the rhyme comes at the end of the lines. Ex: It runs through the reeds And away it proceeds, Through meadow and glade, In sun and in shade. 33. end-stopped line: A poetic line that has a pause at the end. 34. Imagery: word pictures 35. apostrophe: is when an absent person, an abstract concept, or an important object is directly addressed. Ex: With how sad steps, O moon, thou climbest the skies. Busy old fool, unruly sun. 36. Motif: *A recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work. *A dominant theme or central idea. 37. unrequited: means not returned ex: unrequited love because he loved her but she did not love him in return 38. Christmas: Holiday season which most action takes place in â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† 39. wyrd: fate; destiny Canterbury Tales CT pilgrimage was from London to Canterbury. 31# travelers were to tell 4# stories each on the journey. Purpose was ______________________. Characters from CT: