Problem of Evil

Question 1

what is the logical problem of evil?

Answer 1

an omnipotent and omnibenevolent being cannot exist If evil exists, it is incoherent

Question 2

what is the evidential problem of evil

Answer 2

there is a logical possibility that evil and God coexists, but the evidence is against this, evil is disproportionate

Question 3

what does Hume conclude of any theodicy made

Answer 3

they might invent ‘reasons’ for allowing evil, but we have no evince that God has such reasons

Question 4

what is a theodicy

Answer 4

any attempt to justify the Goodness of God in the face of evil

Question 5

what did Augustine observe

Answer 5

humans have a predisposition for sin, and take pleasure in it.

Question 6

augustines theodicy of original sin

Answer 6

we are all born sinful who deserve to be punished of living in a fallen world

Question 7

quote of Augustine

Answer 7

“all evil is either a sin or punishment for sin”

Question 8

what is evil for Augustine

Answer 8

evil does not exists it is merely the privation of good, we fell away from Gods goodness

Question 9

where did Augustine think natural evil came from

Answer 9

fallen angels

Question 10

how does Plantinga criticise Augustines natural evil

Answer 10

he challenges Augustines idea of angelic existence, there is no evidence unlike human sin

Question 11

how is Augustines reliance on Genesis weak

Answer 11

St Augustine rooted his theory on genesis being true, science has disproven Adam and Eve

Question 12

how does a Childs suffering criticise augustines theodicy

Answer 12

small children are too young to sin, so they should not be able to suffer until they are able to choose. thus Augustines theodicy is incoherent.

Question 13

what did Irenaeus make a distinction between

Answer 13

we are the image of God but not the likeness.

Question 14

what does it mean to be in the image of God

Answer 14

we have to potential for Good, though choosing correct actions we can become in the likeness of God

Question 15

how does evil help us become in the likeness of God

Answer 15

punishment and suffering is the way to help us mature

Question 16

what is a biblical example of how evil was used for growth

Answer 16

Jonah was eaten by a big fish for disobeying God, after being spat out days later he then started to obey God

Question 17

what did God intend for human kind

Answer 17

that we should mature over time and that is clear to see through history

Question 18

who came up with epistemic distance

Answer 18

Hick

Question 19

what is epistemic distance

Answer 19

if God made himself known to the world, then we would have to follow his commands and be obedient, then we could never truly grow

Question 20

what is Hicks view of the afterlife

Answer 20

everyone will be saved as no loving God would send people to hell

Question 21

Nietzsche quote

Answer 21

“what does not kill me, makes me stronger”

Question 22

what is a weakness of soul making and evil proportion

Answer 22

the evil in the world seems to outweigh what is necessary for soul making

Question 23

what is dysteleological evil

Answer 23

some evil has no purpose, for example most animal suffering is dysteleological

Question 24

how does Hick defend the use of dysteleoloigcal evil

Answer 24

if all evil was perfectly calibrated for our use then it would be obvious that there is a god, purposeless evil is necessary to avoid breaking epistemic distance

Question 25

what is the issue with epistemic distance

Answer 25

there is no empirical evidence for it

Question 26

how does the idea of an omnibenevolent God argue against soul making

Answer 26

why would a morally good God create sentient being who will suffer.

Question 27

Dostoyevsky on soul making

Answer 27

he highlights the idea that people get into heaven off the backs of suffering innocent children, which is morally unacceptable