The problem of Evil - Evidential Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is the Evidential problem of evil?
Inductive argument
It is logically possible for God to exist.
But the way that the amount of Evil is distributed.
Is strong evidence that he does not exist.
Example - of the probability that God does not exist due to the existence of Evil
Millions of Innocent people being killed for no good reason.
So what does the evidential problem argue ?
We can accept that God may allow some evil.
But would an Omnipotent/Omnibenevolent God allow so much evil and to people who dont deserve it?
What are the problems ?
Free will
Hick - Evil and the God of Love
-Soul making
-Explanation of
-Animal suffering
-Terrible suffering
-Pointless suffering
Free will
God could have made a world with less evil.
But this would mean less free will
Having free will creates more good than evil
Possible response - God could have created a world with less evil than what there is without sacrificing the greater good of free will.
Example - The world could be created the exact same with the same amount of free will but 1% less cancer.
God could have created this world so why didn’t he ?
The amount of evil can be easily reduced without reducing free-will so it seems unlikely that God exists in this world.
Hick - Evil and the God of Love
What are his arguments?
Soul making
Why God allows animal suffering
Why God allows such terrible evils
Why God allows such pointless evils
- Soul making - What is it?
Humans are unfinished beings.
1. Apart of our purpose in life is to develop personally - ethically and spiritually.
This is soul making
Why do we need evil for our virtues ?
Some virtues like courage/forgiveness can only exist if we experience suffering (evil).
Example -
You would not learn to forgive if no one ever wronged you.
Why did God not just give us these virtues from the start ?
Virtues that we have earned are more meaningful.
For real growth we have to put in effort.
This is apart of our soul making.
Some virtues also cannot just be given
Genuine love for God
Cannot be given if it was it would not be real.
Response to soul making
What about the evils that are not necessary for soul-making?
Animal suffering
Pointless evils
So much terrible evils
Why does God allow animals to suffer ?
Epistemic distance - A gap between God and humans. (Clear/obvious knowledge)
This distance means humans can freely choose a relationship with God.
Why is the Epistemic distance important ?
If his existence were obvious people could,
Do good just to get rewards.
Not have true freedom to choose faith/goodness.
The distance preserves free-will (a greater good) and Genuine moral growth.
So God makes Animals and Humans similar in the way that both can suffer.
If animals and humans were clearly differentiated from animals it would be obvious that humans were apart of a divine plan.
The similarity provides a different explanation for our existence (evolution).
This creates the Epistemic distance.
Why does God allow such terrible evils?
Torturing babies or mass murder - we can still achieve spiritual development with lesser evils.
God can’t just get rid of terrible evil.
Terrible evils are only terrible in contrast to ordinary ones.
If God got rid of terrible ones then ordinary ones would become terrible.
If he Kept getting rid of Terrible evils he would be reducing free-will
Reducing free-will reduces the development of soul making. (Personal/Spiritual virtues).
Why does God allow pointless evils?
Innocent children getting cancer.
It helps the case for soul making.
If everytime we saw someone suffering we knew it was for some higher purpose.
We would not be able to develop virtues like sympathy.
Therefore they are not pointless.
