Problem Of Evil Flashcards
Evil
Anything that causes pain and suffering
Moral evil
Suffering brought about by the use of free will
Natural evil
Suffering caused by events outside the control of free will
The logical problem of evil
Deductive argument which claims that the existence of evil challenges both the nature and existence of the God of classical theism.
According to the argument the existence of even a little evil is enough to prove the God of classical theism cannot exist.
Classical logical problem - Epicurus
“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.
If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?”
Modern logical problem - Mackie
Mackie formulated the problem of evil as the ‘inconsistent triad’:
God is omnipotent (all-powerful)
God is omnibenevolent (all-loving)
Evil exists
Mackie argues that these three are logically inconsistent: it is impossible for all three to be true simultaneously.
The evidential problem of evil - Rowe
Fawn in a forest fire with no witnesses is unnecessary intense suffering
God would not allow this as an omnipotent, benevolent being
Such evil and suffering does exist therefore God must not
The evidential problem of evil - Paul
God would not allow so many premature deaths.
Paul estimates that throughout history over 50 billion children have died before reaching ‘the age of mature consent’.
He estimates that 300 billion humans have died prenatally (before birth).
Paul calls this ‘the Holocaust of the children.’
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Possessing the potential qualities of God
Likeness
Actualising or realising the qualities in yourself - developing a ‘noble soul’
Likeness
Actualising or realising the qualities in yourself - developing a ‘noble soul’
Irenaeus’ craftsmen analogy
God is like a craftsman who can mould humans into perfection by allowing both good and bad experiences to make us into the perfectly crafted item.
Human suffering is justified through eternal life in heaven after death for those who develop ‘noble souls’ This is known as eschatological justification
John Hick - epistemic distance
Humans are placed in a situation where the existence and non-existence of God is equally likely. This allows true human freedom to exist – we can choose to believe in God or choose not to.
If humans were completely aware of God, they would only act in the right way because they knew they were being watched.
Universal salvation
Hick argued for universal salvation – everyone goes to heaven eventually, but only when they are perfect. This was logical because few achieved God’s likeness in one earthly life.
Evil was justified in life by our guaranteed entry to heaven – it was just that some people would achieve this quicker than others.
Evil is a privation
Evil occurs when good things become less good than God planned for them – it is not a force or power in itself.
‘Seminally present in the loins of Adam’
God gave humans and angels free will, the ability to choose how to act, and it is misuse of free will that creates evil.
Felix culpa - happy mistake
Without the fall it would not have been necessary for God to send Jesus into the world to save it from sin
