Omniscience What exactly do we mean by omniscience? What do the biblical quotes below suggest? I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isaiah 46:9-10). Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD” (Psalm 139:4). He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:4-5). O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3).

God Vs Logically Impossible Knowledge Can God know the area of a round square? Can God know how to make a four sided triangle? Does God know how to make 2+2 = 5? Similar to Omnipotence, all of these seem impossible regardless of how much knowledge a being has – so perhaps it is easier for us to refer to God as having: “All logically possible knowledge.”

God Vs Ability Knowledge Can God know how to ride a bike? Why is this an issue for what we usually say about God?

God Vs Ability Knowledge If God is INCORPOREAL or TRANSCENDANT then it doesn’t make sense to say that God knows how to engage in a physical activity. He can’t know what it is like to physically interact with something, so by extension he cannot have ability knowledge. This problem also applies to any knowledge gained from senses, for example the colour of tomatoes, to have sense knowledge requires a body. This is because they are sensations caused in us by objects acting on our bodies. But God does not have a body, so he does not have these senses. He is effectively sense blind. Surely this means he is not omniscient?

Omniscience Vs Free Will Perhaps the biggest issue with saying that God is omniscience is the problem of free will. 

Definitions and Problems Omniscience: God knows all things that it is possible to know. Freewill means either: I do what I want (liberty of spontaneity) I could have done otherwise (liberty of indifference) Why does belief in both omniscience and freewill cause a problem?

The Problem! If God knows that I will have cornflakes for breakfast tomorrow. Am I free to have frosties? We could either. . Drop freewill or omniscience Find a clever way of keeping both

Concessions: Calvin’s View Calvin believes that every action that we take is Predestined by God. Calvin comes to the conclusion that we are not Free to choose the kind of life we live, if God has Divine Omniscience it limits are Freewill. But this view of human kind does not sit well with the notion that we are responsible for our actions, and are accountable to God for our choices. If God knew I would sin, and made me so that I would sin, then what do my sins have to do with me? Surely God is the one responsible for the crimes of humanity! If we really do not have free will then God’s benevolence is brought into question.

Solutions: Aquinas’ View Aquinas sees God as a timeless God that sees everything and knows everything. According to Boethius, God does not have foreknowledge, for he is not in the position of knowing that something will occur in advance of its occurring. He exists all through time at once. Yet God knows everything that has occurred, is occurring and will occur. But he knows them in the way in which we know what occurs in the present.

Solutions: Aquinas’ View So if we go back to the Cornflakes example: God knows I will choose cornflakes because he exists outside of time and has observed my choice. But this does not mean I was forced to choose cornflakes, because God exists outside of time I am not predetermined. God merely observes the choices we will make in the future all at the time. However, this view requires God to be eternal, what was the issue with this again?

Clear, detailed explanations A4 Mind Map of the topic At least 3 pictures Clear, detailed explanations Explain each attribute in detail, succinctly One problem with each attribute 1 or 2 responses to each problem