Two Omnipotent Beings?

Philosophia 43 (2):309-324 (2015)
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Abstract

The idea of omnipotence plays a crucial role within the framework of classical theism. God is typically considered omnipotent, that is, able to perform any action. Sometimes, it is said that for God there is no difference between will and action; everything he wishes happens. However, as one reflects on the concept of omnipotence, some rather complex questions arise; the range of God’s possible “actions” is not clear. What are the boundaries of the power of an omnipotent being, if these boundaries exist at all? In this paper, we will examine an interesting question: is it possible that two omnipotent beings exist? Or, does the property of omnipotence necessarily imply the uniqueness of its instantiation? Intuitively, the existence of more than one omnipotent being seems to be contradictory. However, we will demonstrate that under some conditions the existence of two omnipotent beings is possible.

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Author Profiles

Ciro De Florio
Università Cattolica di Milano

Citations of this work

Omnipotence.Joshua Hoffman & Gary Rosenkrantz - 2008 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
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God and Other Minds.Alvin Plantinga - 1967 - Philosophy 44 (167):71-73.
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Maximal Power.Thomas P. Flint & Alfred J. Freddoso - 1983 - In Alfred J. Freddoso (ed.), The Existence and Nature of God. University of Notre Dame Press. pp. 81--114.
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