1. 2) Who said ‘Ex nihilo, nihil fit’?
Rapid Recall!
Fill in the table with what you remember from memory! Prizes for the first correctly filled in one!
1) What is Design qua Regularity
2) Who said ‘Ex nihilo, nihil fit’?
3)Who said existence is not a predicate?
4) What is an intrinsic maximum?
5) What is Aquinas’ fourth way?
6) How is Anselm’s version of the ontological argument different to Descartes?

2. Omnipotence?

3. Learning Outcomes:
To be able to describe the issues around God’s omnipotence.
To be able to explain Descartes’ views around God’s omnipotence.
To be able to evaluate Descartes’ views around God’s omnipotence.

4. Philosopher’s views on God’s Omnipotence?
Different thinkers have considered the problems raised by the notion that God is omnipotent, and have developed a variety of ways of understanding what the omnipotence of God might mean. Anselm and Descartes have this view of God when they formed their ontological arguments – that God is ‘that than which nothing greater can be conceived’ and that he has all of the perfections including power.

5. Philosopher’s views on God’s Omnipotence
Different presentations of the idea of omnipotence:
the idea that God can do anything (as found in Descartes),
that God can do anything that is logically possible (Aquinas/Swinburne),
that omnipotence may be better understood as almighty (Geach),
that God may choose to self-limit (Plantinga).

6. Issues around God’s omnipotence
Read through the articles and create a list of five possible issues with God’s omnipotence…
e.g.
Could God bring it about that I freely decide to take up jogging? God could, presumably, cause the decision, but then – it is intuitive to suppose – I wouldn’t have freely decided.
Stretch Yourself Task:
Do all religions believe in an all-powerful God?
Top Philosopher Task: From memory, write down the premises of Anselm’s Ontological Argument.

7. Descartes: God can do anything!
Read the article and create a mind map on Descartes views…
Descartes can to the conclusion that God can do absolutely anything, even that which is logically impossible.
Descartes’ views on God’s omnipotence
Top Philosopher task:
Explain how the Bible contradicts Descartes’ view.
Stretch yourself task:
Explain how Descartes’ view leads to problem’s for the theodicies.

8. The debate
Complete the speech bubble debate to show Descartes’ responses to the arguments posited…
Top Philosopher task:
Read through the article and add any useful quotes to your debate.
Stretch yourself task:
What would Plato’s problem be with Descartes’ views?

9. Think, Pair, Share
A: Describe one issue with God being omnipotent. B:Describe one issue with God being omnipotent. A: Explain Descartes’ views on God being omnipotent. B: State one issue with Descartes’ views on God being omnipotent.

10. Learning Outcomes:
To be able to describe the issues around God’s omnipotence.
To be able to explain Descartes’ views around God’s omnipotence.
To be able to evaluate Descartes’ views around God’s omnipotence.