PoE

Question 1

Define ‘Moral Evil’.

Answer 1

Harm or suffering that free agents/beings are responsible for.

Question 2

Define ‘Natural Evil’.

Answer 2

Harm or suffering that are caused by natural events / physical processes that free agents/beings are NOT responsible for.

Question 3

Summarise ‘The logical problem of evil’.

Answer 3

The logical problem of evil is an argument within the Metaphysics of God that proposes the existence of God (as normally defined) is logically impossible as evil exists.

Question 4

State ‘The logical problem of evil’ in standard form.

Answer 4

P1: If God exists then God is omnibenevolent and so would be opposed to evil and would eliminate evil as far as it could.
P2: If God exists, then God is omnipotent and so would be able to eliminate evil
P3: If God exists then God is omniscient and so would know that evil exists and/or that it is about to come into existence.
C1: Therefore, if God exists then evil would not exist.
P4: Evil exists.
C2: Therefore, God does not exist.

Question 5

State the type of argument ‘The logical problem of evil’ is.

Answer 5

1) Deductive -The conclusion follows the premises with logical necessity
2) A Priori - It is NOT justified through experience

Question 6

Summarise ‘The evidential problem of evil’.

Answer 6

The evidential problem of evil is an argument within the Metaphysics of God that proposes the existence of God (as normally defined) is highly unlikely as evil exists.

Question 7

State ‘The evidential problem of evil’ in standard form.

Answer 7

P1: If an omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent God exists, then any evil that exists must exist for a morally good reason.
P2: We do not know of any morally good reason that would justify the existence of certain evil events that exist
P3: If we do not know of any morally good reason for many evil events, then there probably isn’t a morally good reason for at least some of these events.
C1: Therefore, for at least some evil events, there probably isn’t a morally good reason that would justify them.
C2: Therefore, God most likely doesn’t exist.

Question 8

State the type of argument ‘The evidential problem of evil’ is.

Answer 8

1) Non- Deductive -The conclusion follows the premises with high certainty, NOT logical necessity
2) A Posteriori - Justified through experience

Question 9

Define a ‘Defense’.

Answer 9

A logically possible explanation as to why God permits evil.

Question 10

Define a ‘Theodicy’.

Answer 10

A plausible or reasonable explanation as to why God permits evil.