Problem Of Evil Flashcards
“Does the logical problem of evil succeed?” Essay
A: Inconsistent triad - J.L Mackie. Natural disasters, evil… strong argument as God would know about these things happening as he is omniscient
CA: Augustines theodicy. God is not to blame as evil is just a privation of good. People deserved to be punished after the fall. Earthquakes - angles. he is still loving as sent Jesus
E: Based on the fact we all have original sin so not scientifically correct. Evolution. Fall of angels cause earthquakes?
A: The fact evil exists can be proven empirically. Indiscriminate evil exits, sheer amount of suffering. W.Rowe seemingly pointless human suffering
CA: Hick - soul making theodicy. Suffering has a purpose. Irenaeus thinking that we were made in the likeness of God but have not grown into it yet. Evil is instrumentally good. We wouldn’t have fee will without it. Epistemically distance. Swinburne we would live in a toy world where things dont matter very much
E:Hume - is the amount of suffering necessary. Can also develop through pleasure as well as pain. D.Z.Phillips argued that true love does not use evil. God not omnibenevolent
“Natural evil has no purpose” essay
A: God does not exist, no purpose of natural evil. J.L Mackie - inconsistent triad. Augustine argues that it does have a purpose in the world to serve justice - omnibenevolent God no. W.Rowe - deer dying in a forest. What’s the point. Strong argument as God is also omniscient.
CA: Augustine we deserve natural evil. Original sin passed down. Still have an omnibenevolent God as bought Jesus. Angels falling causes earthquakes. Evil is a privation. Weak argument as not scientific
E: Relies on the Fall being a historical event. Angels causing earthquakes - tectonic plates. Sin is just embedded in nature
A: Disagree with Irenaeus/ Hick’s soul making theodicy. Evil is in the world to. If there was only God defeats who should be rewarded and not. Helps us to develop characteristics.
CA: does not align with the just God of the bible. J.L Mackie. God is also omnipotent. If he was omnipotent he would have to use evil to made people develop good characteristics
A: Hick -Keep the epistemic distance. Sin is instrumentally good. Swinburne: without sin we would live in ‘a toy world where things matter, but not very much’
E: Sheer amount of evil, not needed We can develop characteristics through good things as well. Dostoyvesky- God must be maevoletn
Scholars that challenge the belief of God due to evil and suffering
- J.L Mackie: inconsistent triad
- W.Rowe: pointless suffering - deer in burning forest example. May be an unknown reason but belief in theistic God is irrational
- Hume: God could have created a more hospitable world. Humans can learn through pleasure instead of pain
- Dostoyevsky: the extent of suffering must be a God not worth worshipping
- D.Z Phillips: true love does not use evil as a means to an end or for a propose
Scholars who defend the existence of God in the face of evil and suffering
- C.Hartshorne & A.N Whitehead: remove the attribute of omnipotence. God is a fellow sufferer
- Mary Eddy Baker: remove “evil exists”. She argued that pain, evil and sickness are illusions and not real.
- W.P Alston: we cannot understand God as our human perspective is limited
- Plantinga: God chooses to limit himself to allow for free will
- Augustine: Soul-deciding theodicy. Natural evil is a punishment for original sin. God is not responsible for moral evil. Natural evil is a result of angels falling from the sky -> leads to natural disasters
- H.McCabe: In favour of evil being a privation: something bad means that it does not live up our expectations. Grape example
- Hick (inspo from Iranaeus) : Soul-making theodicy. Humans were created in the image of God but we have not yet grown into his likeness. Moral evil: We can develop courage, kindness etc.. through choices made in the face of suffering. God remains at an epistemically distance to preserve free will. Natural evil is a vale of soul making which allows us to develop into the likeness of God. Pain teacher us what is. Also makes the world predictable as well. Evil is instrumental.
- Neitsche: “what ever kills you makes you stronger”
- Swinburne: If God limited suffering than we would live in a ‘toy world where things matter, but not very much’ - free will. Didactic evil: natural evil is logically necessary in order for people to know how to prevent it in the future
