the problem of evil

    Cards (14)

    • Problem of evil

      Logical problem posed by Epicurus and David Hume - if God is all-powerful and all-loving, why does evil exist?
    • Possible explanations for why God allows evil

      • God allows evil because he doesn't care
      • God allows evil because he can't stop it
    • Theodicy
      Justification of the goodness of God despite evil
    • One response is that evil is illusory or a psychological problem, but this is rejected by Abrahamic religions
    • Another response is that evil is required to see the good in the world, but this is seen as callous towards victims of evil
    • Another view is that God doesn't remove suffering but doesn't desert us in our suffering, pointing to the suffering of Jesus
    • Augustine's theodicy

      Evil is a good thing that has gone wrong, resulting from the fall of angels and the fall of man
    • Augustine's theodicy

      • Everything was created good, but humans have free will to choose good or evil
      • Our ability to choose our actions, despite them resulting in evil, is preferable to having no free will at all
    • Objections to Augustine's theodicy

      • Punishing for original sin is unfair
      • If creation were perfect it wouldn't go wrong
      • It doesn't make sense to describe inanimate objects as good
      • People are ignorant and can't make informed choices
    • Irenaeus' theodicy

      God made humans in his image, with the desire for us to attain maturity and self-direction. Evil allows us to reflect on our behaviour and become better people.
    • Irenaeus' theodicy

      • Our relationship with God allows us choice and consequence
      • The world is a 'veil of soul-making' where we develop ourselves as human beings
    • Irenaeus argues that if God intervened constantly to prevent evil, it would prevent regularity in the universe and make conventional science impossible
    • D.Z. Phillips' theodicy

      Attempts to justify evil as useful are morally insufficient and do not provide an adequate response
    • The Abrahamic religions do not deny that evil exists, but ask believers to accept that God is with them in their suffering and they will be rewarded in the end
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