The Problem of Evil

Question 1

What does Hume and Mackie’s inconsistent triad suggest?

Answer 1

Suggests that it is logically impossible for God to be both omnipotent and omnibenevolent - and therefore, the God of western theology does not exist

Question 2

What does Mill’s evidential problem argue?

Answer 2

Argues that there is no evidence of nature indicating a good or loving creator

Question 3

What quote sums up Mill’s evidential problem?

Answer 3

“Nature impales men, breaks them” (‘On Nature’)

Question 4

Criticisms of the inconsistent triad

Answer 4

DOES NOT CONSIDER POSSIBLE REASONS FOR EVIL - perhaps God does not intervene and remove evil from the world because he gave us free will

AUGUSTINE’S THEODICY - God cannot be blamed for evil because it comes from angels & humans deliberately using free will to turn away from God (“God saw all that he made, and it was good”)

Question 5

Criticisms of the evidential problem

Answer 5

PESSIMISTIC - seems to ignore evidence that does indicate a good and loving creator (E.g. the love of a mother for their child)

VICTORIAN BRITAIN CONTEXT - childbirth was the leading cause of death for women (“human being is literally stretched on the rack for hours or days”)

NATURAL EVIL - natural events keep the natural order of the world (E.g. hurricanes help to balance global heat, not “destroy the hopes of a season”), indicating a world created w/ perfect conditions for humans