Problem Of Evil Flashcards
What is the greatest objection to the existence of God?
The existence of evil and suffering in human life.
What are the two types of evil discussed in the problem of evil?
Moral evil (caused by human choices) and natural evil (caused by natural events like diseases and disasters).
What is the logical problem of evil?
The idea that God’s existence is logically incompatible with evil, summarized by the inconsistent triad:
If God is all-powerful, He could stop evil.
If God is all-loving, He would want to stop evil.
But evil exists.
What is the evidential problem of evil?
The argument that the sheer amount of evil makes God’s existence unlikely or improbable.
What is a common argument for why evil exists?
Some argue that evil is necessary to understand and appreciate good.
How does the Christian concept of Jesus relate to the problem of evil?
Some theologians argue that Jesus’ suffering on the cross shows that God does not abandon humanity in its suffering.
How did Augustine view the original creation of the world?
He believed that the universe was created good, as described in Genesis.
How does Augustine define evil?
Evil is not a thing in itself but a privation of good (privatio boni).
How does Augustine explain the presence of evil in the world?
Through the Fall of Angels and the Fall of Man, where both chose to reject God, leading to punishment with evil.
Why did Augustine believe free will is important?
Because true goodness requires the ability to freely choose between good and evil.
What is a major objection to Augustine’s theodicy?
If creation was truly perfect, it should not have gone wrong in the first place.
What is the main idea of Irenaeus’ theodicy?
Evil exists to provide opportunities for people to develop goodness and character (soul-making).
How does Irenaeus explain Adam and Eve’s disobedience?
He saw them as immature rather than evil, and their disobedience was part of human development.
What role does free will play in Irenaeus’ theodicy?
Free will is necessary for people to mature and grow into the likeness of God.
What is a criticism of Irenaeus’ theodicy?
Some evils seem purposeless (dysteleological), such as a child dying of cancer, and do not contribute to moral growth.
How does Hick expand on Irenaeus’ theodicy?
He argues that real moral growth requires genuine freedom and an epistemic distance from God.
What is the epistemic distance Hick talks about?
A gap in knowledge that prevents people from being forced to believe in God, allowing genuine moral choices.
What does Hick say about suffering?
Suffering helps us grow and develop virtues; without it, we would be like zombies who do not care.
How does Hick justify seemingly pointless evils like the Holocaust?
He doesn’t say every evil has a direct purpose, but rather that we live in a world where evil appears random to maintain epistemic distance.
What does Swinburne say about the necessity of evil?
Evil provides previous knowledge that allows us to prevent or refrain from future evil.
Why does Swinburne argue that God cannot remove evil?
Because doing so would remove:
Deserved punishment (Augustine’s view).
Free will, since moral evil comes from human choice.
Opportunities for soul-making (Hick’s view).
What does J.L. Mackie argue about free will and God’s power?
If God is truly omnipotent, He could have created free creatures who always choose good.
How does Alvin Plantinga counter Mackie’s argument?
He argues that true freedom means people must be able to choose evil, and God cannot logically force free creatures to always choose good.
What does Mackie say about compatibilist free will?
Free will should be seen as actions caused by our character, meaning God could have made us with inherently good characters.
