News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by simonh on Tuesday July 09, 2024 @05:13AM (#40913992)
>The idea of "new doesn't affect old" is an idea based on logical and temporal consistency. God is not bound to those.

That entirely depends on your specific god belief. Suppose someone believes that god is the eternal principle of consistency?

>Well, let's instead start with the more common conception of God as limitless and with total arbitrary power.

If god is capable of anything can god decide to make it such that there is no god? Can god decide to self-limit god's own powers? If god intrinsically encompasses all possibilities does that include the possibility of godlessness?

You quickly get to then point where the concept ceases having any meaning.

Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by coldtea on Tuesday July 09, 2024 @05:26AM (#40914054)
>That entirely depends on your specific god belief

My sentiments exactly.

The whole point of the comment was that the part saying "The answer does not depend on your religious beliefs" was wrong.

>If god is capable of anything can god decide to make it such that there is no god? Can god decide to self-limit god's own powers? If god intrinsically encompasses all possibilities does that include the possibility of godlessness?

Yes. Trivially so. And He can even make it so godlessness involves the presense of God too, without there being any logical inconsistency even (since he's so powerful he shapes logic, not the other way around).

Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by prmph on Tuesday July 09, 2024 @08:01AM (#40915084)
He could even make it so that our actions are simultaneously not fully deterministic and also not totally random, which is free will.
Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by dfox on Tuesday July 09, 2024 @06:10PM (#40921790)
Which I believe is the reason why people believe in some kind of deity. Believing of some kind of deity does not exactly answer the question of “why we are here?” but it can be trivially used to argue out this apparent paradox.
Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by simonh on Thursday July 11, 2024 @08:51AM (#40936163)
Essentially an infinitely powerful god is not a consistent concept. Whether that is a feature or a bug is a matter of opinion.
Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by TheOtherHobbes on Tuesday July 09, 2024 @06:38AM (#40914498)
So the answer to "P=NP?" is "Let's see what mood god is in today"?
Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by zbyszek on Tuesday July 09, 2024 @08:23AM (#40915250)
The answer is "God knows!"
Re:The zombie misconception of theoretical computer science by bee_rider on Tuesday July 09, 2024 @09:32AM (#40915932)
I think if you believe in one of the omnipotent gods, yea, that is something you believe.