Abstract

Suppose that by the term God we mean, among other things, a being who has always been in existence. Although this may not be what all theologians or philosophers who use that term would claim, it does not seem to be unreasonable to make the claim. The only alternative would be to claim, not of course that God began to exist at a certain time, but that he does not exist in time. But since such a claim seems to be difficult to give a meaning, I prefer the more reasonable claim, to common sense at least, that God must be a being who always has been in existence. But despite the fact that the claim of always having been in existence appears to be a meaningful claim, it nevertheless is a concept which easily collapses.