Does omnipotence preclude evil?
I'm reposting my rant here, because I really want some response. I thought it would elicit a great response and passionate wrathful intelligent debate. Now answer my questions, or face the wrath of the great cow. (borrowed from Michael, with thanks.)
A few days ago I came out of the bathroom in the life sciences library and in front of me was a bookshelf, and there were 22 books called "Nephron" 22 thick blue hardcover books packed with tiny print about nephrons. It's astounding how much knowledge we've acquired over the years, but what is more astounding is how little we've done with it, and how little we'll ever do with it. There are possibly millions of books in the world, in hundreds or maybe thousands of languages. Presently, there are about 6 billion people alive, which means 6 billion brains, thinking, and living, and experiencing a physical world that is harsh, unforgiving, and yet entirely and inconceivably natural. But we are all living one life, and it is impossible for anyone to live more than one life simultaneously. We are alone, and alone again each time a new person is born. And every time a person dies, we lose most of what they've accomplished in their lifetime. It takes so much time and energy for a person to grow up. Which is why nobody should ever die! All living things contains some knowledge of what it is to be alive in this world, but we will never be able to consolidate this knowledge. That is the problem with books. There are so many of them. No single person could read every book in the world and then do something useful with all of that knowledge because there is not enough time. Can you imagine what would happen if someone could do that? Can you imagine the wisdom of someone who could have all the knowledge of every living creature, and of all the books that have ever been written? If a person could have the knowledge of every individual wolf that has ever lived, and the knowledge of every individual drosophila fly that has ever lived, and the knowledge of every individual human being, and monkey, and virus, and flower, that would be amazing! Do viruses and flowers have knowledge? I think they do. Their knowledge is not contained in a network of neurons, but it is the act of living as they do. It is the biological, physical, and chemical knowledge of being a plant or a virus. Not concious, or even subconsious, their "knowledge" is their existance. It is the interactions of the molecules that compose their cells, and the interactions of the cells that form their organs, and that ultimatly compose the individual. That is knowledge as real as any. I think we could live in a perfect world if everyone knew everything. If we could experience life through every possible perspective I believe there would never be another war, there would never be another murder, and there would never be crime. But maybe I'm wrong. Would it be possible to have infinite knowledge and still be cruel and selfish? I don't know if that is possible.I think "evil" stems from ignorance. Selfish, cruel acts are the result of a missing piece of knowledge. If you truely could live through another individual and know everything about what it is to be that person (or insect) then how could you harm it? If there was a good reason, it might be possible, but is there ever a good reason? If someone had all of the knowledge in the world, would they also have knowledge of good and evil? Would every situation be clear and simple? Or would things still be grey and inbetween.
comment
