A sustained being cannot perfomr any act (think and decide) on its own

[Bahman]

1. Sustained beings by definition is a being which owes its existence to another
2. Assume that a being is sustained
3. The act sustaining defines the function expected
4. Act like decision require creativity at the moment given circumstances
5. This means that creativity has to be a part of function which was expected
6. This means that the sustained being cannot perform any act on its own

Proving (3).

1. Lets assume that act sustaining does not define function
2. This means that system is ill-defined
3. This means you cannot expect anything from the system

 

[tm21]

1. Sustained beings by definition is a being which owes its existence to another
2. Assume that a being is sustained
3. The act sustaining defines the function expected
4. Act like decision require creativity at the moment given circumstances
5. This means that creativity has to be a part of function which was expected
6. This means that the sustained being cannot perform any act on its own

Proving (3).

1. Lets assume that act sustaining does not define function
2. This means that system is ill-defined
3. This means you cannot expect anything from the system

I think you’re confusing existence with being. “being” is WHAT we are, “existence” is THAT we are. God sustains our existence, not our being. Existence does not have “functions”.

 

[Bahman]

I think you’re confusing existence with being. “being” is WHAT we are, “existence” is THAT we are. God sustains our existence, not our being. Existence does not have “functions”.

Holding existence! What that supposed to mean?

 

[tm21]

Holding existence! What that supposed to mean?

Good question! You and I didn’t exist 100 years ago, but today we exist. Although many things we see are much older that you and I, we can make the same claim about them. In fact we can even say the same of the universe itself. So then it is obvious to our observation that everything has a contingent existence. Another way of saying this is that everything exists because something caused it to exist. Yet, there cannot be an infinite regression of causes. There must be an un-caused cause. Or to put it another way, there must be something who’s existence is not caused. In fact this “thing” must be existence itself. We call this “thing” God. Since God IS existence, then everything that exists receives its existence from God. In fact, for something to continue to exist, its existence must be sustained by God, or it would cease to exist. That’s what I mean when I say God holds us in existence. Hope that helps!