AQA A-Level Philosophy - Metaphysics
of God 2024
Exam Questions and Answers
What is natural theology - Answer>> a philosophical
investigation which explores the possibility of God through reason
and observation alone
What is revealed theology - Answer>> Using sacred texts on
which religion is based
What is a biblical example of God being omniscient - Answer>>
Psalm 139:4 'Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it
completely'
What is a biblical example of God lacking omniscience? -
Answer>> Genesis 3:9 'But the Lord God called to man "where
are you?"'
immutable - Answer>> unchanging
What did Norman Kretzmann say - Answer>> there was a
contradiction between being omniscient and immutable
What was Norman Kretzmann's argument for the contradiction of
God being omniscient and immutable - Answer>> God isn't
subject to change/God knows everything/A being that knows
everything in time in our changing world/A being that knows
things in time is subject to change/Therefore God is subject to
change
What can P2 of Norman Kretzmann's argument be modified to in
order to fix the inconsistency of God being omniscient and
,immutable - Answer>> 'God knows what is logically possible for
God to know and which doesn't limit his knowledge
What was Norman Kretzmann's response to the modification of
P2 of his argument - Answer>> Although God can use his
power to limit his power he cannot gain knowledge that can limit
his knowledge
What is the biblical evidence for God being omnipotent -
Answer>> Matthew 19:26 'With man this is impossible, but with
God all things are possible'
What was Aquinas' attempted definition of God's omnipotence -
Answer>> God can do anything but what is logically impossible
so he cannot: change/change the past/interfere with free
will/change the laws of math/make something exist and not exist
at the same time
What is the criticism of Aquinas' attempted definition of God as
omnipotent - Answer>> There are some things God cannot do
which are logically possible - Aquinas says God can't sin
What is Aquinas' revised definition of God as omnipotence -
Answer>> God can do anything but what is logically impossible
and doesn't undermine his perfections
What is the biblical evidence for God not being able to deny
himself, or sin - Answer>> 2 Tim 2:13 'If we are faithless, he
remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself'
Why can God not sin - Answer>> To sin is to fall short of doing
a perfect action and God has all perfections so he cannot sin, but
,this doesn't limit his omnipotence as to sin would be to
underachieve
What is the Paradox of Omnipotence - Answer>> can an
omnipotent being make things which he cannot subsequently
control? Or... can an omnipotent being make rules which then
bind himself?
Who came up with the Paradox of Omnipotence - Answer>> J.L
Mackie
What is the first approach to prove God as omnibenevolent -
Answer>> the Bible
What is God's omnibenevolence like in the Old Testament -
Answer>> His goodness is filled with passion based on
righteousness allied with the angry retribution of those who
disobeyed him
What is God's omnibenevolence like in the New Testament -
Answer>> God's goodness is more focused on forgiveness and
mercy
What is the biblical evidence for God being more forgiving and
merciful in the New Testament (God as omnibenevolent) -
Answer>> John 3:16 'God so loved the world that he gave his
only son'
What is the criticism of Approach one to prove God as
omnibenevolent - Answer>> Problem of Evil
What is approach two to proving God as omnibenevolent -
Answer>> A perfection
, Who is approach two to proving God as omnibenevolent
influenced by - Answer>> Plato and Aristotle
Who was approach two to proving God as omnibenevolent by -
Answer>> St Anselm
Anselm Prosolgian 22 (Approach two to proving God as an
omnibenevolent being) - Answer>> 'you are only one supreme
good, altogether sufficient unto yourself, needing nothing else but
needed by all else in order to exist and fare well'
How did Aquinas view goodness as a quality of God -
Answer>> a perfection
What does it mean that Aquinas viewed God's goodness as a
perfection when looking at approach two of proving God as
omnibenevolent - Answer>> there is no flaw or deficiency and
all the necessary qualities are present, linking to Aristotle's
function argument
What is approach three to proving God as omnibenevolent -
Answer>> a moral sense
What is the argument of approach three to proving God as
omnibenevolent - Answer>> God's goodness is the source of all
value
What is God if he is eternal/timeless - Answer>> outside of time
What is God if he is everlasting - Answer>> moving through
time with us
of God 2024
Exam Questions and Answers
What is natural theology - Answer>> a philosophical
investigation which explores the possibility of God through reason
and observation alone
What is revealed theology - Answer>> Using sacred texts on
which religion is based
What is a biblical example of God being omniscient - Answer>>
Psalm 139:4 'Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it
completely'
What is a biblical example of God lacking omniscience? -
Answer>> Genesis 3:9 'But the Lord God called to man "where
are you?"'
immutable - Answer>> unchanging
What did Norman Kretzmann say - Answer>> there was a
contradiction between being omniscient and immutable
What was Norman Kretzmann's argument for the contradiction of
God being omniscient and immutable - Answer>> God isn't
subject to change/God knows everything/A being that knows
everything in time in our changing world/A being that knows
things in time is subject to change/Therefore God is subject to
change
What can P2 of Norman Kretzmann's argument be modified to in
order to fix the inconsistency of God being omniscient and
,immutable - Answer>> 'God knows what is logically possible for
God to know and which doesn't limit his knowledge
What was Norman Kretzmann's response to the modification of
P2 of his argument - Answer>> Although God can use his
power to limit his power he cannot gain knowledge that can limit
his knowledge
What is the biblical evidence for God being omnipotent -
Answer>> Matthew 19:26 'With man this is impossible, but with
God all things are possible'
What was Aquinas' attempted definition of God's omnipotence -
Answer>> God can do anything but what is logically impossible
so he cannot: change/change the past/interfere with free
will/change the laws of math/make something exist and not exist
at the same time
What is the criticism of Aquinas' attempted definition of God as
omnipotent - Answer>> There are some things God cannot do
which are logically possible - Aquinas says God can't sin
What is Aquinas' revised definition of God as omnipotence -
Answer>> God can do anything but what is logically impossible
and doesn't undermine his perfections
What is the biblical evidence for God not being able to deny
himself, or sin - Answer>> 2 Tim 2:13 'If we are faithless, he
remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself'
Why can God not sin - Answer>> To sin is to fall short of doing
a perfect action and God has all perfections so he cannot sin, but
,this doesn't limit his omnipotence as to sin would be to
underachieve
What is the Paradox of Omnipotence - Answer>> can an
omnipotent being make things which he cannot subsequently
control? Or... can an omnipotent being make rules which then
bind himself?
Who came up with the Paradox of Omnipotence - Answer>> J.L
Mackie
What is the first approach to prove God as omnibenevolent -
Answer>> the Bible
What is God's omnibenevolence like in the Old Testament -
Answer>> His goodness is filled with passion based on
righteousness allied with the angry retribution of those who
disobeyed him
What is God's omnibenevolence like in the New Testament -
Answer>> God's goodness is more focused on forgiveness and
mercy
What is the biblical evidence for God being more forgiving and
merciful in the New Testament (God as omnibenevolent) -
Answer>> John 3:16 'God so loved the world that he gave his
only son'
What is the criticism of Approach one to prove God as
omnibenevolent - Answer>> Problem of Evil
What is approach two to proving God as omnibenevolent -
Answer>> A perfection
, Who is approach two to proving God as omnibenevolent
influenced by - Answer>> Plato and Aristotle
Who was approach two to proving God as omnibenevolent by -
Answer>> St Anselm
Anselm Prosolgian 22 (Approach two to proving God as an
omnibenevolent being) - Answer>> 'you are only one supreme
good, altogether sufficient unto yourself, needing nothing else but
needed by all else in order to exist and fare well'
How did Aquinas view goodness as a quality of God -
Answer>> a perfection
What does it mean that Aquinas viewed God's goodness as a
perfection when looking at approach two of proving God as
omnibenevolent - Answer>> there is no flaw or deficiency and
all the necessary qualities are present, linking to Aristotle's
function argument
What is approach three to proving God as omnibenevolent -
Answer>> a moral sense
What is the argument of approach three to proving God as
omnibenevolent - Answer>> God's goodness is the source of all
value
What is God if he is eternal/timeless - Answer>> outside of time
What is God if he is everlasting - Answer>> moving through
time with us
