Problem Of Evil Flashcards
2 types of evil
Moral - result of free actions of humans
Natural - evil from nature that humans can’t stop
Theodicy
Theory to kjistify god righteousness when faced with evil
Innocent suffering
Suffering experienced by those who do not deserve it - babies and disabled
What’s the logical problem of evil
Problem for Neil we as it challenges nature of God so logical problem
Inconsistent triad
Inconsistent triad what is it and who came up with it
Epicurus
Can’t be all powerful and not stop evil
All living and not want to stop evil
What’s the evidential problem if evil
Why god knows everything allows t to happen
Clear evidence of evil - natural disasters, murder and animals eating eachotger
6 responses to problem of evil
Part of big plan - limited knowledge
Teaches us to learn from mistakes
Can bring out the best in people by bringing communities together
Can test human faith
Form of punishment
If we want to be genuinely free. We have to accept
Augustine’s view on POE
Result of original sin from fall
Absence or privation of good, he created a perfect world
Soul second - decide whether or not to obey god
Strengths of Augustine approach
4
Experience of the world - most suffering is moral
punishment gives humans motivation
privitstiom makes sense and emphasises ultimate goodness of God
Herbert McCabe Deckchair and grape analogy - something falls short of expectations - theory is coherent, God hasn’t fallen short we have!
Weakness of Augustine approach
4
Challenge by evolution suggest species adopting towards perfection where is Augustine suggests opposite
Idea of humans similarly present in Adams lines doesn’t seem fair or just and does not tie in to biological understanding of reproduction
Natural inclination to send means we can not be helpful responsible for actions not completely free choices
Human free will limited as Augustin believe God is in control of who goes to heaven and hell
Hicks approach to POE
So making feel to say develop character
Gods likeness is something that we need to achieve so evil is part of process
What is Hicks ideas of epistemically distance
Why do we need it
Gap in knowledge between God and humanity unable to fully know God
Need to use or Fredom fully
What is instrumental good
Some think that is good for purpose supposed to intrinsic
world is instrumentally good because it is good for development into gods likeness
What does Hick say about hell
Part of cleansing parasol making as he believes in universal salvation
Strengths of Hick
4
Evil is a tool used by God not result of good failing to anticipate the results are free will
In line with modern understanding of evolution and allows a non-literal approach to Genesis
universal salvation seems close understanding of all love and God
gives purpose to natural evil
Weaknesses of Hick
Why is the epistemic gap so great the world could’ve been a little nicer
doesn’t explain sheer quantity or innocent suffering
universal salvation removed some of the freedom and undermines what Jesus achieve through dying and rising, reduces into a role model
why would perfect got used evil as a means to an end
Problem will logical problem
Definition of all-powerful God assumes gods power can do absolutely anything
all loving God assumes our understanding of love is correct
Does evil even exist? Augustine says no just orivtation
Irenaeus approach
Hick adapted his theory
God created humans in his image of a need to develop into his likeness like a child needing to start on mothers milk
analogy of clay! God is a Potter, Clay needs to be moist to be moulded, we need to keep ourselves moist by being open to workmanship
