THE PROBLEM OF EVIL: The Free Will Defence Flashcards
What is free will?
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
What is libertarianism?
Although aspects of existence are determined by science, humans have free will so can be held accountable for their own actions
What does free will develop in humans?
Valuable qualities (soul making). We experience pain and see others experience pain so we develop compassion etc
What is the price of free will?
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
What constitutes genuine free will?
Opportunity to do evil
Ability to do evil
Permission to do evil
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?
‘The miracle of theism’
What is an example of first order good and evil?
First order good: happiness
First order evil: misery
What is an example of second order good and evil?
Second order good: sympathy
Second order evil: spite
Why do second order goods exist?
To maximise first order goods
To minimise first order evils
Why do second order evils exist?
To maximise first order evils
To minimise first order goods
What is freedom for Mackie?
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
Without the evils of pain and suffering what could we never have?
Sympathy, love etc
Why is God justified in allowing the existence of evil?
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
What is Mackies problem with the FWD?
God could have done better
His failure to do his means that He isn’t omniscient and omnipotent
Mackie quote
It was open to God the obviously better possibility of making beings who would act freely but always go right
What are two responses to Mackies rejection of his FWD?
Second order evils are necessary for us to accomplish freedom
Plantinga: Mackies suggestion is logically impossible as this isn’t genuine free will
Who is Alvin Plantinga?
American philosopher who wrote ‘the nature of necessity’
Who does the FWD blame evil for?
Moral evil is the result of humans misusing free will
For Swinburne, how can the FWD respond to the problem presented by natural evils?
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
Swinburne quote from ‘the existence of God’
The less He allows men to bring about large scale horrors, the less freedom and responsibility He gives them
Swinburne quotes
Would be like an over protective parent
A natural death is a boundary to the power of an agent against another agent
Plantinga quote
Free will is ‘something of tremendous value’
For Plantinga, why does natural evil exist?
Garden of Eden
Adam and Eves punishment for their sin
Unscientific and relies on the mythological narrative of Adam and Eve
Logically possible
For Plantinga, why does natural evil exist?
Forces of nature
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
Quotes from Genesis
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
Quote from Romans
suffering produces perseverance, character and hope
Quote from Revelation
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more
What is the theodicy?
Means ‘righteous God’
Suggests God is right to allow the existence of evil and suffering because they are necessary
What is causal determinism?
Every event is determined by preceding events and conditions and the laws of nature, so humans don’t have free will
How many orders of good are there for Mackie?
4
4th is god given freedom
What is plantingas free will defence?
Possible worlds
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)
What is plantingas free will defence?
Breakdown of the possible worlds
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
Strengths of the FWD
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
Weaknesses of the FWD
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?
