Evil and suffering

Question 1

What could be another solution about denying evil exists?

Answer 1

Augustine argued evil is a privation of good. It doesn’t exist on its own but instead is the absence of good.

Question 2

What is the evidential problem of evil?

Answer 2

Points to the gratuitous and intense suffering which cannot be justified.

Question 3

What is a real example of moral evil?

Answer 3

The brothers Karamazov

Question 4

Why does free will lead to moral evil?

Answer 4

If God can no longer control, humans are capable of good and evil and so moral evil is inevitable.

Question 5

What does Plantinga have to do?

Answer 5

• show that Mackie’s claim that God could have created humans to freely choose good.
• provide a logically possible reason why God allows evil. Doesn’t have to be true just possible.

Question 6

What does Plantinga’s morally sufficient reason one explain?

Answer 6

logical problem of evil

Question 7

What is a weakness of process theology about Christianity?

Answer 7

it is speculation and has no authority. Not Christian.

Question 8

What is moral evil?

Answer 8

evil that is the result of the misuse of free will. Caused by humans.

Question 9

What is a quotation talking about explanations of God’s allowance of evil?

Answer 9

“No statement, theological or otherwise should be made that would not be credible in the presence of burning children.”

Question 10

What is natural evil?

Answer 10

evil that humans cannot be held accountable for.

Question 11

What is the logical problem of evil?

Answer 11

God is omnipotent.
God is omnibenevolent.
Evil exists.

Question 12

What are these three statements (God is omnipotent.

God is omnibenevolent. Evil exists.) known as?

Answer 12

the inconsistent triad

Question 13

What type of argument is the logical problem of evil?

Answer 13

deductive and priori

Question 14

Who presents the logical problem of evil?

Answer 14

Mackie.

Question 15

What do theists believe?

Answer 15

a set of inconsistent beliefs

Question 16

What could one solution be about omnipotence?

Answer 16

we deny God is omnipotent. This would then mean God isn’t worship worthy.

Question 17

Who takes this view (we deny God is omnipotent. This would then mean God isn’t worship worthy.) ?

Answer 17

Griffin - process theology

Question 18

What are the two solutions that there is a sufficient reason why God allows suffering?

Answer 18

The free will defence.

Hick’s eschatological solution - soul making theodicy.

Question 19

What is gratuitous?

Answer 19

unnecessary

Question 20

What is the fawn in the forrest?

Answer 20

Lightning causes a forest fire and the fawn is burnt to death in agony for many days.

Question 21

What is the case of sue?

Answer 21

a five year old girl was beaten, raped, strangled and killed by her mum’s boyfriend.

Question 22

Explain how suffering from natural and moral evil brings out some of the best feelings in human nature?

Answer 22

When someone is suffering we can sympathise and feel compassion. This makes the world a much better place.

Question 23

What is the main fundemental difference between how children respond to their parents and how humans respond to God?

Answer 23

Some children never learn to respond to their parents but eventually the whole human race as a whole will respond freely to God.

Question 24

What are some other criticism points?

Answer 24

• not what it says in the bible.
• not fair as some people do very evil things.
• some people are made worst by their suffering.

Question 25

What is the main view about the importance of free will?

Answer 25

a world with free beings are more valuable than a world without free beings.