The title of this post is a classic paradox often discussed in philosophy and theology. Mathematically, it can be analyzed through logic and set theory, to show God’s omnipotence. At the outset, we need to understand that the philosophical question in the title is a play of words and theologians have focused on this aspect mainly. I will attempt to show that the question is not mathematically correct.
Definition of Omnipotence: Omnipotence is typically defined as the ability to do all that is logically possible.
Logical Contradiction: If God is omnipotent, then by definition, He should be able to lift any rock He creates. If He creates a rock that He cannot lift, it implies a limitation on His power, which contradicts the definition of omnipotence.
NOW, LET ME USE THE MATHEMATICAL REPRESENTATION:
Let R = weight of the rock,
and
L = lifting capacity of God.
With the above 2 definitions as Mathematical variables, it is clear that L ≥ R.
THE MEANING OF THE LAST INEQUALITY IS:
If “L” is defined as infinite (representing omnipotence), then for any “R”, “L” will always be greater than “R” Thus, the statement “L is greater than or equal to R” holds true for any rock that God creates.
Even if “R” goes to infinity, the above inequality will be true! Hence, the Mathematical incorrectness, of the question in the title of this post, is proved!