Philosophy of Religion

Philosophy of Religion

Critique and Examination of Incompatibility Arguments Concerning Three Divine Attributes: Creatorship, Simplicity, and Eternity

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Department of Philosophy of Religion, Imam Khomeini Educational. and Research Institute, Qom, Iran
2 Department of Kalam and Philosophy of Religion, Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute, Qom, Iran
Abstract
The compatibility or incompatibility of divine attributes is a central issue in the philosophy of religion. Claims of incompatibility are sometimes directed at individual attributes, such as omniscience and omnipotence, with various arguments seeking to demonstrate their internal inconsistency. In other cases, incompatibility is alleged to arise between two or more attributes, on the grounds that their simultaneous attribution to a single, unique being is logically impossible. Accordingly, atheists appeal to such alleged inconsistencies as a basis for affirming their conclusion that God does not exist. Among the attributes that have been individually challenged as incoherent are creatorship, absolute simplicity, and divine eternity. This article critically examines the arguments advanced to establish the alleged incoherence of these three attributes and evaluates whether they successfully demonstrate that the attributes are self-contradictory or mutually incompatible.
Keywords
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