What is wrong with the question "Can God make a rock so big that he himself can't lift it?"?

Question

Why does it not pose a logical problem?

I'm asking this strictly as a problem of logic, not theology. So I'd better add: Assuming, just for the sake of arguement, that God exists. Or, if you prefer, suppose that there exists an all-powerful being. Can he make a rock so big that he himself can't lift it? What is the problem, logically speaking, with that question?

Oops, forgot the first part of the question. The whole thing reads, "If God is all-powerful, can He make a rock so big that he himself can't lift it?"

Answer 1

The logical problem is that, within the limits of the question, you are asking a paradoxical or nonsensical question. We are supposed to take 'god' to mean an all powerful being and then are asked whether or not he can find a limit to his power. Take the following; what happens when an immovable object meets an unstopable force?

The answers are all conjecture because we are asking questions that only show that there is a thing such as logic. None of the answers will make sense because we have an idea of how terms are supposed to work with each other. One assumes that there is a yes or no answer to a question but that is not always the case. The long and short of it is that the question is nonsensical.

Answer 2

Simple god is not physical and has no limitations within the physical universe. God could probably think of things that he cannot accomplish but why would an omnipotent being chose to be non-omnipotent through its own creation.
So the answer would be yes god can make such a rock but why would god do such a thing as it would render god non-omnipotent. Just because there exist a possibility that an omnipotent being could through an act of creation render itself non-omnipotent does not mean that it can not do the act of creation that would render it non-omnipotent.
That is the logical answer to this question in my opinion, that all possibilities are available for an omnipotent being but not all possibilities are manifest.
So the question really is, can god chose to be non-omnipotent and the answer is still god can chose and do anything.
p.s. have a good day and I hope this helped.

Answer 3

To your question "Why does it not pose a logical problem" I would say it does pose a very illogical problem and because we are told "God" can do anything, what are we to believe?

If we are to assume there is an "all powerful being" then it would be a personal decision on their part.

Logically speaking the problem with that question is that his ability to create and to lift are not disputable, and since neither can be disputed you see it as a moot point. Then you start to spin in circles and our brain cannot handle that. That is the problem with that question, we cannot understand it.

Maybe we should invent a robot that could process the question, but we probably couldn't understand its answer anyways.

Answer 4

The problem lies with the type and kind of logic with which you seek answer to your question.

It needs correction; because why would god want to create a rock; and such big one which he him self cannot lift; and more so; why would he want to do so; if he already has millions of rocks around his self awaiting his grace and acceptance.

Unlike you he has lots and lots of work at hand which needs to be finished; and which he knows can be done; only if people like you know their logic to be wrong, and realize that they should be working hard to correct it.

Your question Misses not only true logic, but also that common sense which is common to all and by the way of which; all can benefit; instead of you your self only.

Answer 5

There's nothing wrong with the question and the challenge. It does in fact pose a fundamental challenge to the assertion that a deity can be all powerful.

The post above that states this logical position is an oxymoron is wrong to the core. The point of this thought experiment is that it does in fact offer a genuine challenge to the assertion of god's omnipotence. The challenge swiftly undresses one of the fallacious arguments put forward for god.

The real problem is that such schoolboy logic is quite effective in destroying the illusion of the one who wants to insist that his "invisible clothes" are so beautiful and should be acknowledged by everyone. Believers who cannot engage such challenges and simply want to dismiss them on simplistic grounds are not engaging the philosophy with honesty or integrity. They are embarrassed by the challenge, as they should be.

An entity that is "all powerful" and "all knowing" can be destroyed by mere rational thought. Rational doubt is stronger than any deity!

Answer 6

It's a logical problem, so it isn't a problem to God just to you.
It shows a limitation in you not in God. You don't understand -- as you freely admit -- but then you go on to think : So, therefore I've discovered some lack in God. But that would mean that what the Bible says can't be so : Nothing is impossible to God.

Or, now here's the bedrock question (though not for me) : Is logic prior to God ?

Answer 7

This question reminds me of the following riddle:
Why would god create a rock, that god could not lift, but any person could lift?

The answer to the riddle is simple: the rock was not created for the purpose of being lifted. So why would god, or anyone for that matter, need to lift it? Anyone who did lift it, would be doing so for the single purpose of appearing greater than god.

Answer 8

This would constitute and abdication of authority. To diminish His power. While this must be true if he is all powerful, he would cease to be all powerful after he did this.

Maybe if he was perfect and no longer needed the authority to lift this rock it could be so. Using the logic of perfection, making the rock smaller would be wrong. But God would then submit to perfection. It is generally a bad thing I feel to impart human weakness onto our image of God. I think we want God's authority to be all powerful and capricious.

Answer 9

nope it does not pose a logical problem because technically for God nothing is impossible. or so says all religions that have a god. in most religions god is all powerful so i guess if he wanted to make a rock so big he couldn't lift it he could.

Answer 10

it doesn't pose a logical problem b/c god is fictional. There are 2,500 gods that man has come up with (www.godchecker.com) and each is different. Which god?

it's like asking how Santa gets into homes with no chimney, you make up whatever answer sounds good to the children.