Problem of Evil

Question 1

Define ‘Physical Evil’

Answer 1

Evil independent of human action (e.g. Steve Murphy)

Question 2

Define ‘Moral Evil’

Answer 2

Evil caused by humans (e.g. Steve Murphy’s barber)

Question 3

List the premises of the Logical Problem of Evil

Answer 3

1. If God exists, he is omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent
2. If God is omnipotent, he can eliminate all evil
3. If God is omniscient, he knows evil exists
4. If God is benevolent, he’ll want to rid of evil
5. Evil exists
6. If both evil and God exists, then there is contradiction

Therefore, God does not exist

Question 4

Outline and explain the Evidential Problem of Evil

Answer 4

• Suffering could be prevented by an omnipotent and omniscient God
• A benevolent being would prevent suffering in the world

Therefore, it is unlikely an omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent God exists

(This argument is showing that it is unlikely that God even exists, given the amount of evil in the world)

Question 5

Outline an Atheist’s attempt to resolve the problem of evil (use evidence)

Answer 5

J.L. Mackie’s Inconsistent Triad:
-Mackie rejects the notion that God exists by making a triad of Benevolence, Omnipotence and Evil. He uses this to show that not all three components can be true simultaneously

Question 6

Explain St. Augustine’s Free Will Defence

Answer 6

• Firstly, God is perfect and all he creates is perfect
• All evil derives from human action, he uses the example of “The Fall”
• The Fall is when Adam [and Eve] chose to disobey God, which corrupted God’s creation and caused the ‘privation’ of goodness which is present today

Question 7

List the premises of Plantinga’s Free Will Defence

Answer 7

1. A world with free creatures is more valuable than a world without any free creatures
2. God can create free creatures, but consequently cannot cause them to do what is morally right
3. So God create a world of creatures capable of acting morally and immorally

Therefore, humans are the source of moral evil

(In response, this does not cover natural evil)

Question 8

Outline Mackie’s objection to the Free Will Defence

Answer 8

Mackie believes it is logically possible for all humans to always choose to do good, and that God could have created a world with genuine freedom and consistent goodness. But he didn’t, therefore God is not omnipotent or benevolent

(Plantinga disagrees however, saying that consistently doing good and free-will is illogical)

Question 9

Outline Swinburne’s Defence of the Free Will Defence

Answer 9

We need evil to measure good against AND we need evil to give people opportunities to make the right choice

Question 10

Explain Hick’s Soul-Making

Answer 10

• Humanity is set at an ‘epistemic distance’ from God, this means we are born not knowing of God or how to act morally
• The world is a “vale of soul-making”, a place where the ups and downs of life mature our souls and produce our senses of morality
• If we were already made perfect, we would automatically do as he says, like a dictator
• This is an “eschatological” (last things) approach, where we fully develop our souls in the afterlife

Question 11

Outline the objections to Hick’s Soul-Making

Answer 11

1. Could just please ourselves for our lifetime and leave the moral development until the afterlife; considering we have guaranteed places in Heaven
2. Evil and suffering in the world is a bit excessive for a bit of soul development. Especially considering it isn’t equally distributed either