Misc review items Flashcards
Ontological argument
An argument based on the reasoning that defines God as a supremely perfect being. Based on this definition, God must have all qualities of being a perfect being. Qualities like being all-knowing, all-causing, etc. His argument is that God missing the quality of existing would imply he is not perfect, as being perfect includes the trait of existence.
Cosmological argument
An argument that claims everything in the world is the result of another action. For example, humans are made from their parents who were made from their parents, and so on. This argument claims once you get to the first instance of something existing, that is a supreme being, as only a supreme being could create themselves.
The argument from design
An argument that compares the world to a wonderfully functioning machine. It claims that the earth and all its specific pieces work in such harmony because it was created to work that way.
Pascal’s wager
Not exactly an argument for a supreme being, rather an argument that those who believe in one are essentially taking a wager they cannot lose. If you believe in a god and they turn out to be real, you win happiness after death or whatever that specific religion states. If they turn out to be false, you have bettered yourself as a person throughout your life and therefore did not lose anything.
What are arguments FOR God regarding evil.
By allowing free will, God allows evil to exist. But a world without free will is less perfect than one with free will.
Good cannot exist without evil. One cannot experience pleasure without knowing pain.
This terrible world environment was meant to give us character and life that would not have been possible without evil. All before we enter heaven to stay with God.
What are arguments AGAINST God regarding evil.
God allowing evil to happen takes away some of his divine attributes. He cannot be all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-caring if he allows evil to happen. There must be a reason God allows it, therefore he is no longer completely divine.
If contrast in evil and good was needed, why is evil so high and prevalent? Why not give us smaller amounts of pain? Such as a paper cut instead of death by cancer and pain.
