Abstract

Consider the following argument for the non-existence of God: Some men are morally reprehensible for failing to perform certain actions, e.g. actions of abolishing suffering which is destructive of character. Concentrate, for simplicity, just on actions of this latter sort. If there is an omnipotent and omniscient being, then he, too, fails to perform actions of this sort, and, hence, he is also morally reprehensible unless some such difference obtains between him and the men mentioned in as his being unable to abolish this suffering, while M is able to abolish it, or his not knowing that this suffering is in fact destructive of character, while M does know this. But being omnipotent and omniscient is incompatible with any such difference obtaining