Evil And Suffering Flashcards
What is the evidential problem of evil
Focuses on the evidence of evil and suggests it is improbable that the classical theist God could exist. Quality and quantity of evil. God could allow evil for unknown reasons but we have no empirical evidence of these reasons
What is example William rowe uses about the evidential problem of evil
A fawn dies painfully in a forest fire. This death has no benefit and does not bring about any goodness. “Pointless evil”
What are quotes from Hume about the evidential problem of evil
“The rock of atheism”
“There cannot be a God as there are so many misfortunes in the world”
what is quality and quantity in the evidential problem of evil
the sheer quality and quantity of evil and suffering is overwhelming evidence god does not exist or he does and is cruel and spiteful
what is the logical problem of evil
-an argument against the existence of god
-existence of god is incompatible with the existence of the classical theist god.
-Gods existence is logically incompatible with the existence of evil
what is the epicurean paradox
is he willing but not able he is not omnipotent, if he is able but not willing, he is malevolent, if he is both able and willing then whence cometh evil, if he neither able nor willing then why call him god
what is the inconsistent triad and who created it
It is a theory by J.L Mackie that evil and god being omnipotent and omnibenevolent cant coexist together. so one of gods qualities is false and does not exist
what are the 3 Theodicies to the problem of evil
- Deny Gods Existence
- denying gods omnibenevolence
- deny evil exists
what is the theodicy to deny gods omnipotence
God can’t control evil so he can’t be blamed for its existence in the world
what is the theodicy to deny gods omnibenevolence
Most christians think this is unthinkable. The belief that god is good and loving provides comfort to those suffering
what is the theodicy to deny evil exists
evil is not real it is just the absense of good (privatation) so there is no problem to solve
what is agustines soul deciding theodicy
- we are made in the likeness of god
- man has true moral autonomy
- freedom leads to the fall
- evil is part of an aesthetic pattern
- Evil is a privation
- we all started perfect (anti-evolution)
what was Schleirmacher’s theory
-if god has created a perfect world then it could never go wrong
-if human could chose evil it must have existed in the first place
-if it already existed, then the world was not perfect, so god is to blame
what are the criticisms of augustines soul deciding theodicy
-in nature suffering is vital for survival (survival of the fittest)
- god is unjust for letting all humans be punished for adams sin
-the existence of hell contradicts an all-loving God
-if hell was part of the universe design god knew something would go wrong
it is morall, scientifically and logically flawed
what is St Irenaeus theodicy (upward soul making)
- God deliberatly created an imperfect world
-humans can develop through trail and adversity into perfect beings
-humanity is on a learning curve
“a world without problems and perils would be morally static”
what is a quote by St Irenaeus about his theodicy
“A world without problems would be morally static”
what is hicks soul making theodicy
further developed Irenaeus theodicy and called it the vale of soul making. Said humans were created imperfect so they can grow and develop into the likeness and image of god. Hardships of life develop virtues
Why does hick think Augustine’s soul deciding theodicy is no longer credible
it isn’t compatible with the classical theist god. He points out logical, scientific and moral flaws. Augustine blames evil on the fall and we pass down this evil.
what does hick say about Augustine’s theodicy
“utterly unacceptable”
what does hick say is about us being children of god
we didn’t fall from perfection we are created imperfect. God gave us the freedom to develop to become children of God. he says we can choose right of wrong. harshness of world allows for character development
why does hick say about creation being a 2 step process
two steps in development in the creation of the universe. the “bios” physical human life and “zoe” the personality and characteristics of humans. god allows us to develop the zoe
what does hick say about remaining at an epistemic distance
humans must exist at a distance of knowledge because of we knew he was real would do whatever he wants. By not knowing we make the decision to develop virtues and avoid evil
what is the counterfactual hypothesis
a world with benefits and challenges allow us to have an incentive to do anything. life gives us the stimulus for development
what are the strengths of Hicks soul making theodicy
-fits with current scientific thinking on evolution
-idea of being at an epistemic distance justifies all kinds of evil
-more meaningful relationships with god
-optimistic view of humanity
-coincides with free will
what are the weaknesses of Hick’s soul making theodicy
-if humans are evolved animals, how are we the image of god
-insinuates it is beneficial to suffering but people can become bitter and resentful
-why wouldn’t an all powerful god create a world where humans could develop but not need to suffer
what is the free will defence
god justified in allowing evil to exist in the universe because evil is needed to allow humans to understand and prefer the good
what does Alvin Plantinga say about the free will defence
-god can co-exist with evil
-god is omnipotent but can only do what is within the realms of possibility
-it is impossible to give us free will and not bring evil
-god cannot intervene or we would not be truly free
-a genuinely free world is more valuable
“goodness of robots”
what does Swinburn say about the free will defence
-without free will we would be robots
-a more meaningful relationship with god is freely entered
-a world with death is better
-a limited life focuses attention
-stops the old dominating the young
“he would be like an overprotective parent”
what does Mackie say in favour of the free will defence
-There are first order goods/evils (happiness, pain)
-there are second order goods/evils (spite, cruelty)
-the third order good is free will as it allows humans to choose second order g/e
-need to feel hurt to understand compassion
What does Mackie say in criticism to his defence of the Free will denfence
-why couldn’t god create us with an understanding of evil but not able to choose it
-if god was omnipotent we could have free will and no evil
-god either lacks the power of lacks the love
what do Christians think about the creation of the universe
-creation ex nihilo
-god was only one present
-created a perfect world
-made in gods image
-big bang was created god
-god is transcendent
who are the 2 scholars relating to process theology
J.P Griffin
Alfred Whitehead
what is Griffins process theodicy
-rejects creation ex nihilo
-says it is inaccurate
-genesis was mistranslated
-earth already existed without form and structure
-god “tidied it up”
who was alfred whitehead
mathmatician and philosopher
interested in quantum mechanics
said the world is always moving and changing
god is also changing and dynamic
what is process theodicy
solution to the problem of evil
god is immensly powerful but not all powerful
evil already existed so he couldnt get rid of it
the universe is always moving and changing and so is god. he gave us potential for future perfection
what is the divine lure in process theology
God cannot abolish evil but he can work through persuasion instead. this is called the divine lure by whitehead. god lures us to be better people but cannot force us
what is a quote from whitehead
“understood in terms of the way it is interwoven with the rest of the universe”
how does process theology respond to the problem of evil
natural evil already existed and god doesnt have the power to control it. God also didnt cause moral evil as it is caused by our free will and he doesnt have the power to change it because of the evidential problem of evil (quantity and quality). He is all around us to help as a fellow sufferer
what are the strengths of process theology
-God can’t abolish evil but persuades us to be better people with the divine lure
-replaces a morally unatractive god with one who loves his creatures
-griffins has a sense of realism over what god can and cant do
-backed up by science (quantum mechanics and evolution)
-whitehead says God cared for humans as a fellow sufferer
what are the weaknesses of process theology
-not a proper theodicy as doesn’t solve the problem of evil without changing the omni-characteristics
-proposes a gid not worth worshipping cant answer prayers
-Roth argues if god created a world he cant control like with Aushwitz why worship him
-unchristian by saying god isn’t perfect
-changed how scripture is viewed and dismissed traditional belief
how does process theology apply to life after death
believe in life after death but we don’t physically live on
(no heaven)
we are remembered in the impression we leave on the universe
“objective morality”
we remain forever in the mind of god
