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A LEVEL RE - PHILOSOPHY > (6) PROBLEM OF EVIL > Flashcards

(6) PROBLEM OF EVIL Flashcards

1
Q

What is EVIL?

A

causing someone PAIN and SUFFERING ; NEGATIVE Experience that Setient beings have

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2
Q

What is MORAL EVIL?

A

Results From HUMAN MISUSE of FREE WILL, eg. murder bullying theft
Includes CHARACTER TRAITS (e.g. greed , envy )
Includes the FAILURE to DO GOOD when the OPPORTUNITY ARISES e.g. lonliness

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3
Q

What is NATURAL EVIL?

A

Results from NATURAL PHENOMENA (earthquakes, disease, Bush Fires etc)

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4
Q

What are the 2 PROBLEMS of EVIL?

A
  • the LOGICAL PROBLEM
  • the EVNIDENTIAL PROBLEM
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5
Q

What is the LOGICAL PROBLEM OF EVIL

A

God has QUALITIES NO OTHER being has : OMISCIENCE - KNOWS EVERYTHING logically possible - OMNIPOTENCE - ABLE to DO ANYTHING LOGICIALLY POSSIBLE - OMNIBENEVOLENCE - God DESIRES to DO Every GOOD thing POSSIBLE
- NONE of the QUALITIES can be ALTERED WITHOUT Doing DEVASTIING DAMAGE To the CONCEPT of GOD

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6
Q

Continue Explaning the LOGICAL PROBLEM of EVIL

A

THEREFORE INFER :
- GOD is FULLY AWARE of the PAIN and SUFFERING occurring
- God is FULLY ABLE to PREVENT All PAIN and SUFFERING.
- God WISHES to PREVENT All Pain and Suffering
If True -> there SHOULD be NO PAIN and SUFFERING in the World.
Thefore, the EXISTENCE of SUFFERING Implies GOD DOESN’T CARE, CAN’T DO ANYTHING

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7
Q

What is the INCONSISTENT TRIAD

A

MACKIE - Triad - EVIL and SUFFERING EXISTS (top) , GOD’S OMNIBENEVOLNCE (bottom) GOD’S OMNIPOTENCE (bottom) - says these 3 IDEAS are INCONSISTENT , CANNOT ALL be TRUE at SAME TIME

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8
Q

Explain HUME and the ROCK of ATHEISM?

A

CALLED the PROBLEM of EVIL the ROCK of ATHEISM - suggest that ENTIRETY of ATHIEST BELEIF could be BUILT ON the Problem of Evil

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9
Q

What is the EVIDENTIAL PROBLEM of EVIL

A

the SHEER AMOUNT of EVIL and SUFFERING in world PROVES that GOD DOESN’T EXIST.
an ALL POWERFUL BEING COULD have MADE a WORLD with NO PAIN, death, where PEOPLE ONLY DO GOOD - but HE DIDN’T

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10
Q

What is MILL’S EVIDENTIAL ARGUMENT

A

EVIL & SUFFERING is ENOUGH evidence to PROVE that NO BENEVOLENT DESIGNER EXISTS - gives powerful examples of ways people and animals suffer
Insists this DOESN’T POINT to an OMNIBENEVOLENT CREATOR but to a SADISTIC one who BEHAVES in WAYS we CONDEMN when seen in humans

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11
Q

What is AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY of ORIGINAL PERFECTION

A

P1. GOODNESS is INTRINSIC to EVERYTHING in the Universe and Everything HAS its OWN SCALE OF GOODNESS
P2. GOD MADE EVERYTHING GOOD - he saw what he made and it was vert good (Genesis 1)
P3. EVIL OCCURS when Something DOESN’T LIVE UP to its EXPECTED GOODNESS
P4. A ‘LACK’ of PRIVATION is not a THING in ITSELF
C: EVIL is a LACK (privation) of GOODNES - NOT a THING that GOD CREATED

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12
Q

How does AUGUSTINE explain how MORAL EVIL has Entered the World

A
  • Uses the FALL - Adam & Eve in Garden CHOSE to DISOBEY GOD and Eat from the Fruit of the TREE of KNOWLEDGE of GOOD & EVIL - the SIN CORRPUTED Human Nature - Bad Choices, Wrong Actions & Death are now PART of BEING HUMAN. ALL HUMAN INHERIT the SINFULT NATURE of Adam and Eve (original sin)
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13
Q

How does AUGUSTINE explain NATURAL EVIL?

A

The FALL of ANGLES (Lucifer or SATAN), CAUSES DISHARMONY and IMBALANCE in NATURE, which LED to NATURAL DISASTERS.
AQUINAS added - NATURAL EVIL might only be ‘ EVIL ‘ Because of the Way we Look at the World

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14
Q

What is AUGUSTINE - Heaven or Hell ?

A

Since God is NOT RESPONSIBLE for EVIL, GOD is JUSTIFIED in PUNISHING People (in hell)
However, GOD is Also ALL-LOVING, so he HAS a RESCUE PLAN, Jesus, the Incarnation died and took the Punishment of Sin himself, thus paying the Price for Human Failure
AUGUTSINE’S Theodicy is called SOUL DECIDING - those who Follow Jesus go to Heaven, those that don’t -> Hell

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15
Q

What is AUGUSTINE’S AESTHETIC THEODICY

A
  • also suggests that EVIL is PART of the NATURAL BALANCE of the UNIVERSE
  • this is an AESTHETIC ARGUMENT ( argument for the beauty of the universe)
  • draws an ANOLOGY with the USE an Artist makes of LIGHT and DARK Shades to Improve a Painting in order to Create Harmony and Balance
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16
Q

What are 2 CRITICISMS of AUGUSTINE’S AESTHETIC THEORY

A
  • there is a VAST AMOUNT of SUFFERING UNDERGONE by animals in the Natural World which DOESN’T SEEM to be BALANCED By ANYTHING
  • AUGUTSINE Has to JUSTIFY the ETENRAL PAIN of Humans Who are PUNISHED and GO to HELL. By explaining how the SUFFERING CAUSED on Earth is BALANCED by the SUFFERING of the WRONG-DOERS in HELL, AUGUSTINE has simply MOVED the PROBLEM of EVIL To the NEXT LIFE. Why does an Omni.. God Allow Eternal Pain and Suffering for those in Hell
17
Q

What are 2 STRENGTHS of AUGUSTINE’s THEODICY

A

+ GENUINE FREE WILL REQUIRES the Possibility that HUMANS COULD CHOOSE EVIL. It Seems REASONABLE to Put the EMPHASIS on HUMAN ACTION as Free WIll DOES SEEM to CAUSE Most Suffering

+ the Idea of PRIVATION - that Something is BAD IF its FALLS SHORT of Our EXPECTATIONS for It - SUPPORTED by MCCABE - argues that When we TALK about SOMETHING being BAD; we mean it DOESN’T Live Up to Expectations - argues that AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY is COHERENT - Evil DOESN’T MEAN GOD has FALLEN Short of Expectations

18
Q

What are 2 WEAKNESSES of AUGUSTINE’s THEODICY - literal reading

A
  • DEPENDS on a VERY LITERAL READING of SCRIPTURE which seems Alien to Modern Thinking
    TREATS GENESIS as a History of actual events - but this is CHALLENGED by Most Christians today + Catholic Church FURTHER CHALLENGED by the THEORY of EVOLUTION which suggests that we’re MOVING AWARE from Perfection.
    Augustine sometimes talks of Interpreting Biblical accounts rather than a Literal Reading. If the GENESIS is UNDERSTOOD as a MYTH, AUGUSTINE’s account could explain why Human Nature has a Tendency to Make Moral Bad Choices
19
Q

What are 2 WEAKNESSES of AUGUSTINE’s THEODICY - ‘ PRIVATION BONI ‘

A
  • Evil is MORE SERIOUS than a ‘PRIVATION BONI’. it’s Hard to Deny that Pain, Cruelty and Sickness really exist.
  • the BIBLE itself Presents EVIL as BRUTALLY REAL ; the OT is filled with famines, massacres, murders etc
  • If the SUFFERING of JESUS was merely ILLUSIONARY, his DEATH would OFFER NO REDEMPTION - yet the NT Shows his Death in Bloody terms
20
Q

What does IRENAEUS argue in his THEODICY

A

that GOD DELIBERATELY CREATED the World with a MIXTURE of Evil and GOODNESS
there was NEVER a time when the world was PERFECT
GOD is the SOURCE of EVIL

21
Q

Explain IRANEUS and the IMAGE OF GOD

A
  • he POINTS out the DISTINCTION Between IMAGE and LIKENESS , arguing that HUMANS were CREATED in the IMAGE of GOD
  • we are PERSONAL BEINGS, Capable of Rational, Moral Thinking with the FREEDOM to MAKE their OWN CHOICES (like God)
  • Free Will is Crucial as it ENABLES PEOPLE to CHOOSE a RELATIONSHIP with GOD
22
Q

What does IRAEAUS argue about the LIKENESS OF GOD

A

GOD DIDN’T CREATE Humans in his LIKENESS
PERSONAL QUALITIES that REFLECT the DIVINE, e.g. Perseverance, Love
the ‘LIKENESS to God is FULLY REVEALED in the PERSON of CHRIST
- BORN with the POTENTIAL for moral and spiritual growth, EVIL is a GIFT to FACILITATE the GROWTH, we NEED SUFFERING to Develop qualities

23
Q

Explain IRAENAUS ANAOLOGY of the Mother

A

EXPLAINS why GOD DIDN’T Create Humans Perfect
- analogy of Mother FEEDING a NEW BORN Baby; baby is NOT DEVELOPED ENOUGH at the Beginning for an Adult Diet

24
Q

How does IRAENUS explain MORAL and NATURAL Evils

A

MORAL - simply the RESULT of BAD or IMMATURE CHOICES MADE by HUMANS

NATURAL - are INTENTIONAL DIFFICULTIES for EACH INDIVIDUAL which PROVIDE a TESTING GROUND for the PERSON to DEVELOP from Immaturity to Maturity

25
Q

What is HICK’s THEODICY

A

We were DELIBERATELY CREATED GOOD (image of god) But IMPERFECT - we NEED to Experience SUFFERING to DEVELOP Into the LIKENESS of God

26
Q

Explain the HIDDEN GOD of HICK’S THEODICY

A
  • in order To MAKE GENUINE FREE CHOICES, GOD MUST Hold Himself At an EPISTEMIC DISTANCE From Humans
  • this way, HUMANS ACCEPT GOD Because THEY WANT To, NOT because They are FORCED or Because the WANT to be REWARDED
  • this FREE WILL is ESSENTIAL for DEVELOPING into the LIKENESS of GOD - humans Have to SEEK GOD Throughout their Lives by WORKING on Their SOULS to Gradually OVERCOME the EPISTEMIC DISTANCE
27
Q

What is the IMPORTANCE of LIFE AFTER DEATH for HICK

A

says his Theodicy ONLY WORKS IF you BELIEVE in LIFE AFTER DEATH.
SOUL - MAKING can Never be Perfectly Completed in a Life Time, so eschatologiccaly, God Gives FURTHER SOUL MAKING OPPORTUNITIES

28
Q

What does HICK BELIEVE about UNIVERSAL SALVATION

A
  • BELIEVED that EVERYONE will GO to HEAVEN
  • COULDN’T ACCEPT that an ALL LOVING GOD Would CONDEMN People for ETERNITY
  • believed that the IDEA of HELL CONTRIBUTES To the PROBLEM of EVIL, as NO GOOD can COME OUT of a PLACE with ETERNAL SUFFERING
29
Q

Why does NATURAL EVIL EXIST for HICK

A
  • WORLD HAS to Have ‘ROUGH EDGES’
    to ALLOW US to FACE the CHALLENGES NECESSARY For SOUL MAKING
  • Cannot be a ‘Hedonistic Paradise’ as our Actions Wouldn’t have Consequences and Nothing would Have Any Meaning; we Wouldn’t Experience Hardship, Never Develop Compassion
30
Q

What is 1 STRENGTH of SOUL MAKING THEODICIES? - HICK

A

HICK’S belief in UNIVERSAL SALVATION goes is POSITIVE for RELIGIOUS ACCEPTANCE - even if the greatest villains go to heaven. This FITS with the Idea of a LOVING , FORGIVING GOD

31
Q

What are 2 CRITCISMS of SOUL MAKING THEODICIES

A
  • GOD WOULDN’T PLAN EVIL & SUFFERING – PHILLIPS -> Rejects any Theodicy that suggest that God Planned Evil and Suffering
    While SOME SUFFERING might be ‘Of Use’ SOME things are SO TERRIBLE that they are WRONG, No Matter what Positive Outcomes could come out of them
  • GOOD DOESN’T ALWAYS COME OUT OF EVIL – BAD Situations DON’T ALWAYS Contribute to the GROWTH of the SOUL, may even Lead to Fear , WEAKENS SOUL - HICK was AWARE of this an his Own Theodicy -> acknoweldes that there is SUFFERING on earth that seems to SERVE NO PURPOSE, he calls “ DYSTELEOLIGCAL SUFFERING “
32
Q

What is a STRENGTH of SOUL MAKING THEODICIES - relating to Augustine

A

Evil is Presented as a Real Thing that People Experience with God Responsible for it
perhaps is More Realistic Than Augustinian Theodicies

A LEVEL RE - PHILOSOPHY (8 decks)

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