Epicurean POE Counters Flashcards
Pre Christian Greek Traditional Response to POE (Aristotle/Cicero)
it is wrong to think gods goodness means that god wishes to remove all evil among human beings
it is beneath god to care about human affairs
God manages the universe, humanity are just ants in the grand scheme of things
Traditional Christian response to POE (St. Augustin)
God brings the good out of evil. Colonialism example, we exist due to colonialism, and while colonialism is bad, we are good
christian theists believe in after life, where evil is essentially dealt with. hence, god is not ignoring evil
this happens because god is almighty
evil can be allowed because good can come out of it, and the evil can be addressed in the afterlife
Ash’arism response to POE
It is arrogant as well as philosophically difficult to claim that one’s mind can identify moral facts, and that God is also bound by these moral facts
Good and evil are relational, and moral facts are not objective
human minds cannot adequately evaluate gods actions (if god does not do x, god is not good)
Martin Luther response
evil can be addressed in the afterlife. There is life beyond this life, in which all will be punished and repaid
