[Ads-l] Motto: Speed Quality Price. Pick any Two [A derivative saying]

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

It is an ancient problem of theodicy, but the formulation, phrasing,
and vocabulary have changed over time.

Here is a close match to the formulation presented by Mark. This
citation uses the three terms omnipotent, omniscient, and
omnibenevolent together with the phrase "only two at most are true".
The match occurs in the introduction to a book that translates some
writings of St. Augustine.

Year: 2020
Book: On Order: St. Augustine's Cassiciacum Dialogues, Volume 3
Translation, Annotation and Commentary: Michael P. Foley
Section: Introduction
Quote Page 5
Database: Google Books Preview

[Begin excerpt]
But when an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent God exists, as
the Christian Gospels proclaim, there would seem to emerge what
logicians call an inconsistent triad, where of three propositions,
only two at most are true. For if God is omnibenevolent, then it would
seem that He is not omnipotent, since evil exists despite His goodwill
toward humanity. And if God is omnipotent, then it would seem that He
is not omnibenevolent in allowing evil to exist.
[End excerpt]

This 2019 book claims that the problem was explored by Epicurus.

Year: 2019
Book: Student Guide: Pearson Edexcel AS/A-Level: Religious Studies
Authors: Amanda Forshaw, ‎Cressida Tweed
Database: Google Books Preview

[Begin excerpt]
The logical problem of evil focuses on the inconsistent triad first
put forward by the pre-Christian Greek thinker Epicurus (341–270 BCE).
It is based on the fact that the God of classical theism is held to be
omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient.
[End excerpt]

A logician used the topic as an example in a textbook.

Year: 1984
Book: Introductory Logic
Author: Robert J. Levy
Quote Page GB 77
Database: Google Books snippet (must be verified with scans or hardcopy)

[Begin excerpt]
If God is omniscient, omnipotent, and entirely good, there is no
natural evil. But there is natural evil. Therefore, God is not both
omniscient, omnipotent, and entirely good.
[End excerpt]

On Sun, Jun 4, 2023 at 1:08 AM Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu> wrote:
>
> > On Jun 3, 2023, at 7:33 PM, Mark Mandel <markamandel at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >
> > I have a saying in the same format for a(n ,ir)religious topic. Skip the
> > rest of this letter if you are easily offended by things that might look
> > blasphemous to you.
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > . .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > Omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent. Pick two.
> >
> > I'm pretty sure I didn't invent the saying but I don't remember where I got
> > it, and I know I didn't invent the idea.
> >
> >
> > Mark Mandel
> >
>
> Not hardly new, but I thought of it (synchronicity strikes!) in doing the current NYT double-crostic (hoping your spoiler alert scopes over that as well). Clearly it’s "pick *at most* two”, and I believe the point goes back several hundred years, although usually put differently (If God is A and B, he’s not C, etc.) The tricky bit is how to map speed, quality, and price onto the three properties ascribed to the Deity.
>
> LH
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org