An omniscient God knows everything.
Omniscient is an adjective that allows us to name someone who has omniscience , that is, who knows all of reality and even that which enters the field of the possible. The term is made up of two Latin words that mean "who knows everything ."
The definition of the concept allows us to infer that God is the only omniscient being. Human beings are not capable of knowing all things since this faculty exceeds the human condition itself. Therefore, when it is said that a person is omniscient, it refers to the fact that he or she has knowledge from many disciplines or sciences .
A distinction can be made between two types of omniscience: total omniscience , which consists of knowing everything that can be done (both actual and potential), and inherent omniscience , which is the ability to know everything that can be done and desired. .
The contradictions of an omniscient God
Atheism is based on the concept of omniscience to point out some of the contradictions implicit in Catholic beliefs, revealing situations that are impossible to resolve even if we endow God with unlimited powers.
On the other hand, if God were omniscient, free will would not exist since God would know everything before it happened and, therefore, human beings would be subject to predestination . This represents one of the greatest contradictions of the Christian religion.
The omniscient narrator knows what the characters think and feel.
A type of narrator
In literature , omniscience is used to explain the possible roles that the storyteller can assume in a story. The omniscient narrator usually appears in the third person and is able to describe what the characters feel or think or explain what is behind the events, without hesitation.
This mode of writing is usually the most chosen by authors, precisely because it allows them to have great control over the story, being able to present the world of fiction in a broad way, giving readers data that would not be possible with another type of narrator. .
In addition to the type just described, there are the narrator:
- Observer : can only show what he perceives through his senses. This narrator is usually a character in the story or someone who sees it from the outside;
- Protagonist : the story can be written in the first person (a fictional or real autobiography) or in the second person (the protagonist narrates the story as if he were talking to himself).
What an omniscient narrator should be like
There are many opposing opinions regarding what an omniscient narrator should and should not be like . Some people claim that said narrator must be absolutely objective, that is, the author cannot object to anything that refers to his or her ideas or thoughts. Others prefer to be a little less strict and understand that sometimes it is necessary to make certain clarifications, even if they go beyond what is established by narratology. The truth is that although there are rules, it is best to understand when it is appropriate to make these limitations and when not.
It is necessary to be clear about certain concepts related to the construction of a narrator; For example, in a story where the story is omniscient, the appearance of certain subjective elements may clash with the rest of the work. In other cases, these resources can be used to expand the text and take it to another dimension, allowing the reader to identify in a more committed way with the story.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that if an omniscient narrator has been chosen, it is because deep down we want to establish a deep contact with the reader , giving them the opportunity to immerse themselves in our story. Therefore, it is best to thoroughly understand the narrative line and know how to use subjectivity when strictly necessary.