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The problem of evil - Coggle Diagram
The problem of evil
Free Will:
If God intervenes, he is controlling and thus removes free will, which is necessary to Christianity.
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Central to both theories. Shifting the blame of evil onto people from God. Evil is the result of human choices, so God is still omnibenevolent and omnipotent.
Why can't we have humans who h=can freely choose but only choose good?
Mackie.
There is no contradiction in God creating humans like this.
Gods omniscience poses a threat to free will. If God knows everything he knows the future of events, then it cold be argued that the future is pre-destined.
In the case og Genesis, God should have know that Adam and Eve were going to eat from the tree of knowledge before they did. So how were they free to choose what they didn't choose?
Did God create Adam and Eve with an intended destiny to create original sin (not omni-benevolent) or Adam and Eve did have the freedom to make their choice (God not omniscient).
Two major defences:
Augustine: Perfect creation (God did create a perfect world, the exact world of a benevolent and omnipotent God would design) -> The fall (Genesis, Adam and Eve had free will but chose to reject God, ate from the tree of knowledge.) -> Original sin -> Gods justice.
Moral evil occurs because of humans disobedience and bad choices.
Natural evil occurs because of nature turning against us and punishing us for rejecting God.
Humans caused evil so we must now deal with it
A soul deciding theodicy, up to humans to accept Gods help (Jesus) This is our second chance to make God happy again
Privatio Boni: Evil is not a substance but a lack of the goodness that God created. Similar to how darkness is the absence of light.
Thus allowing the existence of an omni-benevolent, Omni-potent God and Evil.
Hick: Irenean Theodicy.
Evil has to exist otherwise good cannot exist, we can only recognise good if we know evil. Evil is necessary at appreciating good.
Made in Gods image but need to grow into his likeness. -> We have free will to make the right (free) choices to reach perfection. More special than just being perfect.
However, mistakes are made and some people use their free will to make bad choices (moral evil)
Veil of soul-making
Epistemic distance between God and Humans
Evil exists and God is still all-loving and all-powerful
Theodicy -> A defence or justification of Gods goodness and omnipotence in the face of evil and suffering.
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Logical vs Evidential:
Logical:
Epicurus: "Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then is he omnipotent, why is there evil?"
Inconsistent triad -> The three statements cannot all be true simultaneously. Classical theism doesn't work. Omnis of God
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Evaluating Theodicies:
Augustine:
- Evil as a privation dissolves the logical problem of evil -> If the world was perfect where did knowledge of evil come from? Contradiction. (Schleiermacher)
- Respects human free will -> Modern science contradicts the 'fall' narrative
- Explains both moral and natural evil -> 'Seminally' present in Adam is biologically impossible
- Only Adam and Eve disobeyed God so why is all of humanity punished.
Hick:
- 'soul-making' gives evil a purpose -> The sheer amount of suffering feels excessive
- The goal of developing character has value -> Suffering of innocents and animals feels pointless
- Universal salvation is ultimately fair -> True love would not use suffering as a tool
- Only accounts for moral evil, what about natural evil that is created by God alone?
- Why is evil so unbalanced? if it was necessary shouldn't everyone receive equal amounts to fairly reach perfection?