Philosophy of Humanity

Philosophy of Religion

Attributes of God

Ontological, cosmological, and other arguments in favor of religion arise from a precise definition of God. In all philosophical concepts of religion, God is described as the being greater than which nothing can be conceived. This definition, articulated by Anselm of Canterbury, has proven to be quite effective. Regardless of the stance taken by the philosopher of religion, this definition is employed: the theistic philosopher seeks to prove, while the atheist seeks to refute the existence of God, yet both operate within the same conceptual framework. Even an atheist must use some clear definition of God; otherwise, they would not know what exactly they are denying. From this definition of God arise His attributes, or the characteristics that define Him. If God is the being greater than which nothing can be conceived, then this implies that the concept of God encompasses the highest and most perfect qualities. As God is the supreme being, His attributes must be the highest and most perfect in all domains of manifestation. There are three domains of any rational being's manifestation: morality, knowledge, and activity.

• In the realm of morality, God's attribute is His moral perfection. If God is the supreme being, then in the domain of morality, He is the most benevolent.
• In the realm of knowledge, God's attribute is the perfection of His knowledge. If God is the supreme being, then in the domain of knowledge, He is omniscient.
• In the realm of activity, God's attribute is the perfection of His actions. If God is the supreme being, then in the domain of activity, He is omnipotent.