THE PROBLEM OF EVIL: The Free Will Defence

Question 1

What is free will?

Answer 1

God has given up control over human actions to bring about greater good
Humans can make their own decisions and are responsible for their own actions

Question 2

What is libertarianism?

Answer 2

Although aspects of existence are determined by science, humans have free will so can be held accountable for their own actions

Question 3

What does free will develop in humans?

Answer 3

Valuable qualities (soul making). We experience pain and see others experience pain so we develop compassion etc

Question 4

What is the price of free will?

Answer 4

The possibility to develop positive qualities is matched by the possibility to develop negative qualities
Moral evil is the price
But free will is worth the price because of the qualities the individual may choose to develop

Question 5

What constitutes genuine free will?

Answer 5

Opportunity to do evil
Ability to do evil
Permission to do evil

Question 6

Where does John Mackie produce a version of the FWD to show the futility of using free will to defend God in the face of the problem of evil?

Answer 6

‘The miracle of theism’

Question 7

What is an example of first order good and evil?

Answer 7

First order good: happiness

First order evil: misery

Question 8

What is an example of second order good and evil?

Answer 8

Second order good: sympathy

Second order evil: spite

Question 9

Why do second order goods exist?

Answer 9

To maximise first order goods

To minimise first order evils

Question 10

Why do second order evils exist?

Answer 10

To maximise first order evils

To minimise first order goods

Question 11

What is freedom for Mackie?

Answer 11

A third order good as it allows us to choose freely between instantiating first and second order goods and evils
It eventually teaches us to love the good

Question 12

Without the evils of pain and suffering what could we never have?

Answer 12

Sympathy, love etc

Question 13

Why is God justified in allowing the existence of evil?

Answer 13

It permits the freedom to choose or reject good- be morally responsible
Without free will we would be robots (Plantinga)
A meaningful relationship with God must be freely entered into

Question 14

What is Mackies problem with the FWD?

Answer 14

God could have done better

His failure to do his means that He isn’t omniscient and omnipotent

Question 15

Mackie quote

Answer 15

It was open to God the obviously better possibility of making beings who would act freely but always go right

Question 16

What are two responses to Mackies rejection of his FWD?

Answer 16

Second order evils are necessary for us to accomplish freedom
Plantinga: Mackies suggestion is logically impossible as this isn’t genuine free will

Question 17

Who is Alvin Plantinga?

Answer 17

American philosopher who wrote ‘the nature of necessity’

Question 18

Who does the FWD blame evil for?

Answer 18

Moral evil is the result of humans misusing free will

Question 19

For Swinburne, how can the FWD respond to the problem presented by natural evils?

Answer 19

Death limits the time during which an individual can inflict suffering on others
God placed the earth under the governance of the laws of nature so that we can learn how to predict and manage evils

Question 20

Swinburne quote from ‘the existence of God’

Answer 20

The less He allows men to bring about large scale horrors, the less freedom and responsibility He gives them

Question 21

Swinburne quotes

Answer 21

Would be like an over protective parent

A natural death is a boundary to the power of an agent against another agent

Question 22

Plantinga quote

Answer 22

Free will is ‘something of tremendous value’

Question 23

For Plantinga, why does natural evil exist?

Garden of Eden

Answer 23

Adam and Eves punishment for their sin
Unscientific and relies on the mythological narrative of Adam and Eve
Logically possible

Question 24

For Plantinga, why does natural evil exist?

Forces of nature

Answer 24

Natural evil is caused by nature not human free will. Does God have an excuse for the forces of nature to be so destructive?
Where we see people suffering from natural disasters we can develop 2nd order goods

Question 25

Quotes from Genesis

Answer 25

God saw all that He has made and it was good

When you eat if it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil

Question 26

Quote from Romans

Answer 26

suffering produces perseverance, character and hope

Question 27

Quote from Revelation

Answer 27

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more

Question 28

What is the theodicy?

Answer 28

Means ‘righteous God’

Suggests God is right to allow the existence of evil and suffering because they are necessary

Question 29

What is causal determinism?

Answer 29

Every event is determined by preceding events and conditions and the laws of nature, so humans don’t have free will

Question 30

How many orders of good are there for Mackie?

Answer 30

4

4th is god given freedom

Question 31

What is plantingas free will defence?

Possible worlds

Answer 31

1st possible world: morally significant free will (our world)
2nd possible world: no morally significant free will, people who always choose good over evil (God’s causal determinism)
3rd possible world: morally significant free will, people who always choose good over evil (God’s causal determinism)

Question 32

What is plantingas free will defence?

Breakdown of the possible worlds

Answer 32

1st possible world is logically possible
2nd is logically possible but people would be robots
3rd can’t exist because God’s causal determinism and genuine free will doesn’t work together

Question 33

Strengths of the FWD

Answer 33

A world of genuine free will is more valuable than the world of robots
Addresses the issue of natural evil- laws of nature bring about second order goods

Question 34

Weaknesses of the FWD

Answer 34

Just because something is logically possible doesn’t make it true
Depends on the libertarian view of free will but how do we know that this is the right view?