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Philosophy / Unit 3   Philosophy 0103 short lesson, about 20 seconds

The Paradox of the Stone

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The idea

The paradox of the stone: can an omnipotent being create a stone too heavy for it to lift? Either answer seems to limit omnipotence.

In practice

Say yes—there is a stone it cannot lift. Say no—there is a stone it cannot create.

Where people slip

The standard reply: omnipotence covers what is logically possible, and a self-contradictory task is not a task at all.

Your place on the trail

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Unlocks

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