Understanding Omnipotence

Infinite Power and Finite Powers∗

The etymological meaning of ‘omnipotent’ is ‘all-powerful.’ Being all-powerful is usually understood as having all of the powers. The problem of analyzing omnipotence is then seen as the problem of determining over what class the quantifier ‘all’ in this assertion ranges. An omnipotent being would be one that has all of the powers; all of what powers? Attempts to answer this question have run i...

Love versus Omnipotence: the Narcissistic Dilemma

In this paper I would like to explore some ideas and speculations which have, more or less, forced themselves into my awareness as a therapist and a human being struggling with the problem of maturing. In particular, certain fantasies or expectations which seem to characterize many of my patients, and which have manifested themselves in my own life, appear to have implications for understanding...

Omniscience, Omnipresence, Omnipotence: promises and perils on the road to superhuman, distributed intelligence

ON TWO ALLEGED CONFLICTS BETWEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES (forthcoming in Faith and Philosophy)

[ABSTRACT] Some argue that God’s omnipotence and moral perfection prevent God from being afraid and having evil desires and thus from understanding such states—which contradicts God’s omniscience. But, I argue, God could acquire such understanding indirectly, either by (i) perceiving the mental states of imperfect creatures, (ii) imaginatively combining the components of mental states with whic...

Running Head : Interpersonal beliefs in persecutory delusions

3 The purpose of the current study was to examine the way individuals with persecutory 4 delusions construe the self, others and their main persecutor with reference to the constructs 5 of malevolence and omnipotence, and examine the extent to which these interpersonal beliefs 6 link to distress, self-esteem and delusion conviction. Repertory grid methodology was used 7 to explore interpersonal...