Friday 19 September 2008

Weeing down my trouser leg #8 - Reductio ad absurdum?

Here's an Epicurean delight:

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
"epicurean." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 19 Sep. 2008.

Well, there's a beer paid on for anyone who can explain the derivation of the term 'Epicurean delights".

Oh, and by they way, Reductio ad absurdum works like this:

(1) Assume not p
(2) Provide argumentation that derives p from this assumption.
(3) Maintain p on this basis.

(see The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Discuss.

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