Problem of Evil

Question 1

Moral evil

Answer 1

• acts committed by human beings, such as murder, theft, rape etc.
• evil that comes from human inaction
• done by other people’s intentions

Question 2

Natural evil

Answer 2

• evil caused by the world directed towards humans
• produced by the chance operations of the laws of nature

Question 3

Suffering

Answer 3

the mental or physical pain/hardship/distress brought about by both moral and natural evil

Question 4

Examples of natural evil (events)

Answer 4

• 2008 Sichuan earthquake
• 1883 eruption of Krakatoa and subsequent earthquake

Question 5

Examples of moral evil (events)

Answer 5

• Rwandan genocide (attempt by the Hutu to exterminate the Tutsi)
• the Holocaust

Question 6

Logical POE: Mackie’s inconsistent triad

Answer 6

1. God is omnipotent
2. God is omnibenevolent
3. Evil exists

Question 7

The Free Will Defence

Answer 7

• God has to allow evil in order to preserve free will
• in order to bring about the best ‘goods’ in life, such as love and compassion, we have to be ‘free’ to choose the opposing vices of hatred and heartlessness
• If God controlled evil, there would be no freedom

Question 8

Eschatology

Answer 8

the theology of what will happen at the end of the universe

Question 9

John Hick’s eschatological solution

Answer 9

• God has all the time he wants in which to bring people to freely love the good, so in the end everyone will reach heaven
• Evil is a necessary part of the process by which we become fit for heaven

Question 10

Evidential problem of evil

Answer 10

There are known facts about evil that are evidence against the existence of God:
- Evil that is overwhelming in quantity and quality
- Evil that is pointless because it serves no useful purpose

Question 11

Evidential POE examples

Answer 11

• The Permian-Triassic extinction - characterised by the elimination of about 90% of the species on Earth
• The eruption of Mount Vesuvius and subsequent obliteration of Pompeii