An ‘inconsistent tetrad’ is the presentation of four statements of which the truth of any three entails the falsity of the fourth. It is a method of demonstrating that the holding of four apparently consistent propositions is in fact inconsistent.
For example, Christians typically believe the following four propositions:
- Any act that God commits, causes, commands, or condones is morally permissible.
- The Bible reveals to us many of the acts that God commits, causes, commands, and condones.
- It is morally impermissible for anyone to commit, cause, command, or condone, acts that violate our moral principles.
- The Bible tells us that God does in fact commit, cause, command, or condone, acts that violate our moral principles.
However…
If 1,2,3 are true then 4 is false
If 1,2,4 are true then 3 is false
If 1,3,4 are true then 2 is false
If 2,3,4 are true then 1 is false
Therefore, Christians cannot consistently believe all of the above four propositions.
Christians would further clarification before agreeing to any of the propositions :-
1. Permissible by whom ?
2. Which acts? (It may not necessarily the case that every biblical act claimed to be an act of God is in fact an act of God).
3. Christians do not believe that our own “principles” are necessarily moral or relevant.
4. See 3
Thus, the propositions as written do not appear representative of Christian beliefs, partiularly given that “Christian beliefs” are themselves so often at odds with other “Christian beliefs”.
To which brand of Christianity are the propositions attributed?
Regards