Problem of Evil

Question 1

What are the 2 types of evil?

Answer 1

Moral and natural

Question 2

What is moral evil?

Answer 2

Evil brought about by human actions

Question 3

What is natural evil?

Answer 3

Natural events beyond human control

Question 4

What is an example of moral evil?

Answer 4

The holocaust

Question 5

What is an example of natural evil?

Answer 5

Extreme weather

Question 6

Who pointed out the logical problem?

Answer 6

Epicurus

Question 7

What did Epicurus point out?

Answer 7

A God who was all-powerful and all-loving could and would want to eradicate evil and suffering.

Question 8

If evil exists, why can’t God exist?

Answer 8

Since suffering exists then God would be either ‘not able’ to do
this (not omnipotent) or ‘able but not willing’ (not omnibenevolent)

Question 9

What did Mackie call Epicurus’ logical problem?

Answer 9

The inconsistent triad

Question 10

Why did Mackie call it the inconsistent triad?

Answer 10

Because evil and suffering are incompatible with the notions of omnipotence and omnibenevolence

Question 11

What is the inconsistent triad?

Answer 11

Evil exists, God is omnipotent, God is omnibenevolent

Question 12

What did Mackie argue about theodicies being unsuccessful?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What is Mackie’s paradox of omnipotence?

Answer 13

Demonstrates the problem where an omnipotent being makes things which he cannot subsequently control or makes rules which bind himself

Question 14

What does Mackie see the notion of omnipotence as?

Answer 14

Illogical

Question 15

Who presented empirical versions of the problem of evil?

Answer 15

Paul and Rowe

Question 16

What was Paul and Rowe’s presentation of the empirical version of the problem of evil?

Answer 16

The evidential problem of evil

Question 17

What is Rowe’s argument?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What is the example Rowe provides of instances of unnecessary intense suffering?

Answer 18

A fawn that is ‘trapped, horribly burned, and lies in terrible agony for several days before death relieves its suffering’

Question 19

Why does Rowe say God could and should prevent evil?

Answer 19

Because it would not interfere with free will

Question 20

What did Paul use to demonstrate the extent and indiscriminate nature of human suffering through natural evil?

Answer 20

Statistics

Question 21

What is an example of the statistics Paul used?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is Paul’s main point?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

“Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or
he can, but does not want to…

Answer 23

…If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked.” (Epicurus)

Question 24

“Quite apart from the problem of evil, the Paradox of Omnipotence has shown that God’s…

Answer 24

…omnipotence must in any case be restricted in one way or another.” (John L. Mackie)

Question 25

“It is said that God is in the details, and that
the nature of creation reveals the nature of the creator…

Answer 25

…This is a valid point, but the implications are not necessarily what Christians wish for them to be.” (Gregory S. Paul)

Question 26

“Intense human or animal suffering is in itself bad, an evil, even though it may sometimes be justified by…

Answer 26

…virtue of being a part of, or leading to, some good which is unobtainable without it.” (William Rowe)