# The unanwerable question? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 4, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565 "2003-04-04T22:24:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/1 "2003-04-04T22:24:53Z")
This was posed to me when I was about 10 years old in a Sunday School class. I still give it thought almost once a week now 17 years later: If God can do anything, then can he make a rock so big that he can’t move it? Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/2 "2003-04-04T22:31:27Z")
Ah, final proof of the nonexoistence of God: - God can do anything. - Therefore He can make a rock so big He cannot move it. - However, since He cannot move it, He _cannot_ do anything. - Ergo, he doesn’t exist. QED. 😃 [sub]Hey, stop throwing rocks! Quit it! Ouch, that hurts![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/3 "2003-04-04T22:37:34Z")
Q.E.D. Interesting thought. I have heard some point out that the question is itself a paradox to begin with, therefore, God, being infinitely wise, would not waste his time with such a pointless task. ---
**Author:** ![Kaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Kaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaf)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/4 "2003-04-04T22:37:57Z")
God can do **anything** … Therefore he can create a universe in which > [@](#): > > \*- God can do anything. > > - Therefore He can make a rock so big He cannot move it. > - However, since He cannot move it, He cannot do anything. > - Ergo, he doesn’t exist. QED.\* And still exist… _runs in circles_ _head explodes_😃 ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/5 "2003-04-05T01:53:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaf \* > \*\*_runs in circles_ > _head explodes_😃 \*\* ::follows close behind with paper towels:: ---
**Author:** ![ThatGuyWithPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@ThatGuyWithPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatGuyWithPants)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/6 "2003-04-05T02:25:07Z")
Now for the anoying guy to try and actually answer the question: God is still “limited” as what He can do. He cant do anything to limit His power. Moejuck hit it on the head. Its sorta like how God cant lie. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/7 "2003-04-05T03:20:23Z")
I’m imagining Godlike beings sitting on their thrones, copies of an interesting magazine in holy hands, as the future of mankind is contemplated, while a holy loaf is pinched. Trumpus dumpus maximus. I betteye beatchu at dominoes, and feely me bony belly, Thomas gottsa no biscuits, like you momma atchoo. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/8 "2003-04-05T03:37:58Z")
Do you suppose that Jesus was able to pick up any rock he wanted, no matter how large? ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/9 "2003-04-05T04:10:11Z")
To answer seriously, the philosopher George Mavrodes examined this question using Thomas Aquinas’ definition of omnipotence as being able to do anything _possible_. He concluded that, because the question can be rephrased as, “Can a God who can lift anything create something He cannot lift?”, the task is self-contradictory and thus impossible. Thus, God cannot create such a stone. This, however, in no way limits God’s power, because He can create a stone of any weight, and lift a stone of any weight. It merely is an example of a task that is impossible due to its nonsensical nature. And if one argues that the task is not self-contradictory, then one implicitly concedes that God can perform it, and thus cannot argue that it’s a paradox. However, Mavrodes doesn’t acknowledge Descartes’ definition of omnipotence, which is that an omnipotent being can do anything, even if it’s something intrinsically impossible or nonsensical, because an omnipotent being would be in control of the very laws of logic. If that’s the case, then God could revise those very laws in a way incomprehensible to us such that the paradox would be resolved. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/10 "2003-04-05T04:42:32Z")
She could, but she doesn’t want to. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/11 "2003-04-05T05:29:04Z")
Isn’t this similar to the “how many angels on the head of a pin” question? As for my answer…God’s got more to worry about than moving rocks, what with all the shenanigans and goings-on us mere mortals create. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/12 "2003-04-05T05:44:54Z")
> [@](#): > > being able to do anything possible _Anyone_ can do anything possible. That’s what possible means - that you can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/13 "2003-04-05T05:52:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*_Anyone_ can do anything possible. That’s what possible means - that you can do it. \*\* No. It’s _possible_ to crush the Moon into a black hole given sufficient force, for example, but _you_ can’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/14 "2003-04-05T05:59:01Z")
I meant possible in the context of the person. I.e. If it is _possible_ for **Lobsang** to break a banana in half then I can break a banana in half. But I guess the quote meant the other kind of _possible_ so I’ll shut up now. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/15 "2003-04-05T20:38:45Z")
The Banana Liberation Front will be in contact with you folk regarding abuses perpetrated on their protected fruit. BLF-tomorrow the peaches and pears will be freed from oppression! ---
**Author:** ![green\_dragon\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/13edae/32.png) [@green\_dragon\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_dragon_1)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/16 "2003-04-05T20:46:21Z")
I tihnk Already in Use hit the nail on the head (probably splatting those angels in the process)…the question makes no sense; An omnipotent being can do anything, and so it’s nonsensical to attempt to define a task as ‘something which cannot be done’. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/17 "2003-04-05T20:57:55Z")
Thus endeth the gospel according to Straight Dope ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/18 "2003-04-05T23:31:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by \*\* Q.E.D. \*\* > … Ergo, he doesn’t exist. … assuming God is the programmer of the Matrix. he can program anything into the matrix and move it as well. the programmer _is_ omnipotent in the matrix world. just because he can’t answer a trick question doesn’t mean he does not exist! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@Alan\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Q)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/19 "2003-04-06T02:24:42Z")
Dagnab it, it happened again; I get about 2/3 through a thread, mentally formulating a cogent and witty post, and about _3/4_ through, somebody does it for me–in this case two somebodies; DeVena and KCSuze! I tend to think that Aquinas, and people like him (no matter what their persuasion or when they lived), who think they’ve got a hot-line to God (whatever he, she or it may be) are suffering from hubris– Excuse me while I go find my Milton (Someday I’ll finish the dam’ thing)! –Alan Q ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565/20 "2003-04-06T02:40:12Z")
I actually got the jump on someone? Wow! I’m elated and guilty at the same time! And a little hungry. Where are those bananas? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unanwerable-question/166565.md?page=2)