--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it has not escaped the notice of…" description: "\"“it has not escaped the notice of logicians that omniscience and omnipotence are mutually incompatible. If God is omniscient, he must already know how ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/richard-dawkins-115_quote_it-has-not-escaped-the-notice-of-logicia_973817.jpg" --- # it has not escaped the notice of logicians that… ![“it has not escaped the notice of logicians that omniscience and omnipotence are mutually incompatible. If God is omniscient, he must already know how he is going to intervene to change the course of history using his omnipotence. But that means he can’t change his mind about his intervention…” quote by Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/richard-dawkins-115_quote_it-has-not-escaped-the-notice-of-logicia_973817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/richard-dawkins-115_quote_it-has-not-escaped-the-notice-of-logicia_973817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/richard-dawkins-115_quote_it-has-not-escaped-the-notice-of-logicia_973817.jpg) > ““it has not escaped the notice of logicians that omniscience and omnipotence are mutually incompatible. If God is omniscient, he must already know how he is going to intervene to change the course of history using his omnipotence. But that means he can’t change his mind about his intervention, which means he is not omnipotent.”” [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The argument claims that knowing the future prevents a deity from having true power to alter it, suggesting a logical conflict between all‑knowing and all‑powerful attributes. **In simple terms:** If God knows everything, He can’t change anything. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of logical consistency in theological claims. Themes theology philosophy logic free will determinism Mood analytical thoughtful Type theoretical philosophical When to use this quote - debates on divine attributes - academic philosophy courses - personal belief reflection - ethical discussions on power Key Concepts omniscience omnipotence compatibility paradox Questions to Reflect On - Can an all‑knowing being still act freely? - How do different traditions resolve this paradox? A Different Perspective Critics argue that omniscience could be compatible with omnipotence if knowledge is not deterministic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Justice is that which is practiced by God himself, and to be practiced in its perfection by none but him. Omniscience and omnipotence are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/justice-is-that-which-is-practiced-by-god-himself-and-to-be-practiced/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“To say that God is omniscient is to say that He possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/to-say-that-god-is-omniscient-is-to-say-that-he-possesses-perfect/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“91 THE HONESTY OF GOD. 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