1 problem of evil Flashcards
philosophy
how to define evil
profoundly immoral and wicked
logical problem of evil definition brief
a priori, deductive, evil & classical god cant exist together
evidential problem of evil definition brief
a posteriori, inductive, evidence of evil in the world makes belief in god unjustified
strengths x3 of logical problem of evil
- empirical evidence of evil, existence of widespread suffering in world is observable and undeniable. empirical basis = hard to dismiss
- clear contradiction in the inconsistent triad (epicurean hypothesis) makes it seem some attributes are false
- follows deductive reasoning
weaknesses of the logical problem of evil
- free will defence. god allows evil because its a consequence of granting humans free will
- “greater goods” argument - posits god allows evil to exist because it leads to greater goods (virtues like compassion, courage) = moral growth
-WP Alston - we cannot unstand god because human perspective is limited. we cant see full picture.
- Plantinga - god chooses to limit himself to allow free will.
WP Alston critique of the logical problem of evil
we cannot understand god because human perspective is limited, we cant see full picture
Plantinga critique of logical problem of evil
god chooses to limit himself to allow free will
Mill’s argument on the problem of evil
cruelty observed in the natural world contradicts the idea of a benevolent and omnipotent deity.
what supports mill’s problem of evil
darwin- Ichneumonidae wasps
nature is “not cruel, only pitilessly indifferent”
2 arguments against mill’s theory for problem of evil
- irenean theodicy, suffering in nature promoted spiritual growth. suffering can bring out the best in people => developmental + part of god’s plan
-free will and natural laws, suffering is a necessary result of genuine freedom
who are the main scholars on LPOE
JL Mackie
Epicureas
Hume
main aspects of the LPOE
- deductive
- a priori
- inconsistent triad (epicurean hypothesis)
- natural and moral evil
scholars for EPOE
JS Mill
William Rowe
Gregory S Paul
why did Rowe reject LPOE
- he recognised there are grounds on which the premises could be challenged and therefore as a deductive argument, it fails.
only “pointless and unecessary suffering” that “occurs daily and in great plentitude” counts against a god
what are the variables for EPOE
- magnitude
- duration
- distribution
= quality of evil
Rowe’s two examples of “pointless and unecessary suffering”
- 5 year old girl raped and beaten to death
- fawn dying slowly in a forest fire
Daniel Howard-Snyder and WP Alston’s criticism of Rowe
and what is it shut down from
builds on Aquinas
as humans, we are unable to understand god’s divine rational and plan for humanity
shut down from Rowe’s 5 year old girl example. this extent of suffering to an innocent child cannot be permissible from a loving God.
quote from the holocaust prisoner
“if there is a god he will have to beg for my forgiveness”
JL Mackie POE
proposed that a truly loving god could just make our choices solely good - instead of creating a struggle between good and sin, where humans are able to commit atrocities
=> also the fact that humanity was created with the propensity to sin, even subjecting innocent others to suffering and loss
what to mention examples x2
atrocities eg nagasaki or the holocause
what does the EPOE do basically
challenges why the magnitude of evil is so great. and how a loving and powerful god could allow evil on such a grand scale
rowe quote main
“unecessary and pointless evil”
rowe examples x2
fawn dying in forest fire = silent, no purpose
5 year old girl beaten and raped
who and what does Mill reference
Darwins Ichneumonidae wasps - who eat caterpillars slowly from the inside out
=> how beings in our universe were seemingly created to impart suffering or suffer
