The Evidential Problem of Evil

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  • Created by: AnelieFS
  • Created on: 09-01-25 18:24
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  • The Problem of Evil
    • The problem of evil uses the existence of evil in the world to argue that God (as defined in the concept of God) does not exist
    • Two Forms
      • The logical problem of evil says the existence of God is logically impossible given the existence of evil in the world
      • The evidential problem of evil says that, while it is possible that God exists, the amount and way in which evil is distributed in our world is pretty strong evidence that God doesn’t exist
      • Moral: Evil acts committed bypeople
      • Natural: Suffering as a result of natural processes
    • Theodicy
      • An explanation of why an omnipotent and omniscient God would permit evil
    • J.L Mackie: Inconsistent Triad
      • The following statements are logically inconsistent – i.e. one or more of them contradict each other:
        • God is omnipotent, God is omnibenevolent, Evil exists
    • Plantinga's free will defence
      • Moral evil that occurs could only be eliminated by God if free will is also eliminated
        • Free will > No evil
      • Even if free will is a great good, that doesn’t mean we should never interfere with it. For example, if we see someone about to commit murder and do nothing about it, it is no defence to appeal to how wonderful it is that the murderer has free will!!
        • If God always interfered to prevent us from causing evil, then this is equivalent to his causing us to do good
    • Hick's soul making theodicy
      • The existence of evil is necessary for us to become good people, for us to grow morally and spiritually
      • We are incomplete creations
        • The response to the problem of evil is that such virtuous development is impossible unless there is evil to respond to and correct
          • Cannot have virtues without vices
      • Defenders of the problem of evil often assume that God would seek to maximise pleasure and minimise pain
        • Such an environment may be suitable for perfected creatures, but it is no good for helping unperfected creatures like us develop
          • The world is a place of soul-making
      • God could have created creatures that had some version of the virtues immediately. But the virtues we achieve that result from challenges, discipline,and overcoming temptation, are ‘good in a richer and more valuable sense’ than the qualities of someone simply created good
    • Challenges for Hick
      • The argument addresses the logical problem, but hasn’t yet offered a response to the amount, kind or distribution of evil
      • What about animal suffering?
      • Is it plausible that terrible evils are really necessary for our moral and spiritual growth?
      • A great deal of evil doesn’t (appear to) contribute to spiritual growth
        • Unnecessary evil

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