Inconsistent triad
Encyclopedia
An inconsistent triad consists of three proposition
s of which at most two can be true. For example:
If one finds oneself believing all three propositions of an inconsistent triad, then (to be rational) one must give up or modify at least one of those beliefs. Maybe Alice doesn't love me, or maybe she wouldn't send flowers to me if she did, or maybe she actually has sent flowers.
is often given in the form of an inconsistent triad. For example, J. L. Mackie
gave the following three propositions:
Mackie argued that these propositions were inconsistent, and thus, that there could be no all-powerful, all-loving God.
This could also be seen as:
One has to take caution, however, in calling any given triad inconsistent without considering the underlying assumptions that are made. Mackie's argument assumes that God's omnipotence and omnibenevolence would necessarily cause him to eradicate evil without delay. If one realizes that the human heart is corrupted and is the source of most evil/suffering, and if Mackie were right, then God would have to immediately eradicate all humans as well. This would fly in the face of God's benevolence toward humans. The Christian Bible teaches, however, that God has delayed his judgement of evil to a future date after which he will restore all things. Men and women are given time to embrace salvation from the evil in their own hearts : forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ. This taken into account reveals the real inconsistent triad:
Proposition
In logic and philosophy, the term proposition refers to either the "content" or "meaning" of a meaningful declarative sentence or the pattern of symbols, marks, or sounds that make up a meaningful declarative sentence...
s of which at most two can be true. For example:
- Alice loves me.
- If Alice loves me, she would have sent flowers.
- Alice hasn't sent flowers.
If one finds oneself believing all three propositions of an inconsistent triad, then (to be rational) one must give up or modify at least one of those beliefs. Maybe Alice doesn't love me, or maybe she wouldn't send flowers to me if she did, or maybe she actually has sent flowers.
The problem of evil
The problem of evilProblem of evil
In the philosophy of religion, the problem of evil is the question of how to explain evil if there exists a deity that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient . Some philosophers have claimed that the existences of such a god and of evil are logically incompatible or unlikely...
is often given in the form of an inconsistent triad. For example, J. L. Mackie
J. L. Mackie
John Leslie Mackie was an Australian philosopher, originally from Sydney. He made significant contributions to the philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and the philosophy of language, and is perhaps best known for his views on meta-ethics, especially his defence of moral skepticism.He authored six...
gave the following three propositions:
- God is omnipotent
- God is omnibenevolent
- Evil exists
Mackie argued that these propositions were inconsistent, and thus, that there could be no all-powerful, all-loving God.
This could also be seen as:
- God is omnipotent
- God is omnibenevolent
- Suffering exists
One has to take caution, however, in calling any given triad inconsistent without considering the underlying assumptions that are made. Mackie's argument assumes that God's omnipotence and omnibenevolence would necessarily cause him to eradicate evil without delay. If one realizes that the human heart is corrupted and is the source of most evil/suffering, and if Mackie were right, then God would have to immediately eradicate all humans as well. This would fly in the face of God's benevolence toward humans. The Christian Bible teaches, however, that God has delayed his judgement of evil to a future date after which he will restore all things. Men and women are given time to embrace salvation from the evil in their own hearts : forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ. This taken into account reveals the real inconsistent triad:
- God is loving and merciful
- God has delayed his judgement to allow men and women to embrace his salvationSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
- God should have already eradicated every source of evil, including all men and women