Problem of Evil Flashcards
What are the 2 types of evil?
Moral and natural
What is moral evil?
Evil brought about by human actions
What is natural evil?
Natural events beyond human control
What is an example of moral evil?
The holocaust
What is an example of natural evil?
Extreme weather
Who pointed out the logical problem?
Epicurus
What did Epicurus point out?
A God who was all-powerful and all-loving could and would want to eradicate evil and suffering.
If evil exists, why can’t God exist?
Since suffering exists then God would be either ‘not able’ to do
this (not omnipotent) or ‘able but not willing’ (not omnibenevolent)
What did Mackie call Epicurus’ logical problem?
The inconsistent triad
Why did Mackie call it the inconsistent triad?
Because evil and suffering are incompatible with the notions of omnipotence and omnibenevolence
What is the inconsistent triad?
Evil exists, God is omnipotent, God is omnibenevolent
What did Mackie argue about theodicies being unsuccessful?
Theodicies depend upon re-interpreting the idea of omnipotence and so are not successful, either God is omnipotent in its fullest sense or God is not omnipotent there is no in between
What is Mackie’s paradox of omnipotence?
Demonstrates the problem where an omnipotent being makes things which he cannot subsequently control or makes rules which bind himself
What does Mackie see the notion of omnipotence as?
Illogical
Who presented empirical versions of the problem of evil?
Paul and Rowe
What was Paul and Rowe’s presentation of the empirical version of the problem of evil?
The evidential problem of evil
What is Rowe’s argument?
If there are instances of intense suffering that God could do something about without impacting the greater good then it is logical to assume that God could prevent this
What is the example Rowe provides of instances of unnecessary intense suffering?
A fawn that is ‘trapped, horribly burned, and lies in terrible agony for several days before death relieves its suffering’
Why does Rowe say God could and should prevent evil?
Because it would not interfere with free will
What did Paul use to demonstrate the extent and indiscriminate nature of human suffering through natural evil?
Statistics
What is an example of the statistics Paul used?
Demographic statistics that detail the full extent of the early
death of immature humans through natural evi e.g. ‘the estimated total prematurity loss of conceived humans is in the area of 350 billion
What is Paul’s main point?
There is a complete denial of free will to new-born, and premature, human beings therefore this does not work with any theodicy based in the God of classical theism
“Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or
he can, but does not want to…
…If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked.” (Epicurus)
“Quite apart from the problem of evil, the Paradox of Omnipotence has shown that God’s…
…omnipotence must in any case be restricted in one way or another.” (John L. Mackie)
