THE PROBLEM OF EVIL A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.pptx

A comprehensive report on the problem of evil

1. THE PROBLEM OF EVIL Reporter: Jhonson Empremiado

2. “ Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?” EPICURUS (341-270)

3. The problem of evil arises from the paradox of an omnibenevolent, omnipotent deity`s allowing the existence of evil. The Judeo-Christian tradition has affirmed these three propositions: “ God is all-powerful (his powers include omniscience). God is perfectly good. Evil exists.” But if he is perfectly good, why does allow evil to exist? Why didn`t he create a better world, if not one without evil, at least one with substantially less evil than this world?

4. Western thought has distinguished two types of evil: 1. Moral Evil- covers all bad things for which humans are morally responsible.

5. 2 . Natural Evil- includes those terrible events that occur in nature of their own accord. (e.g. hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes).

6. Main Defense of Theism Free will defense (St. Augustine, John Hick, Alvin Plantinga) Theodicy: A Defense of Theism (Gottfried Leibniz) Evil and Soul-Making (John Hick)

7. Fallacies “ All or nothing” “ It could be worse” “ Slippery Slope”

8. Free will Defense This defense assumes a libertarian view of freedom of the will . That is humans are free to choose between good and evil acts. Moral Evil derives from creatures` freedom of will. Alvin Plantinga on natural evil suggested such disease and tornadoes, to the work of the devil and his angels. On the other hand, Swinburne argues natural evil as parcel and part of the nature of things. “ theodicists ” attempt to justify the ways of God before human kind. They endeavor to show that God allows the temporary evil in order to bring out greater good .

9. Theodicy: A defense of Theism God permitted evil to exist in order to bring about a greater good and that Adam`s fall was a felix culpa ( happy sin) because it led to the incarnation of the Son of God, raising humanity to a higher destiny than would otherwise have been the case. he argues that although God can foresee the future, humans are still free, in that they act voluntarily.

10. “ Evil and Soul-Making Spiritual Development requires obstacles and the opportunity to fail as well as to succeed. Those who are opposed to challenge that our freedom grants us are looking for a hedonistic paradise in which every desire is gratified and we are treated by God as pet animals rather than autonomous agent. On the other hand, those who accept the challenge of freedom consider themselves to be coworkers with God in bringing forth the kingdom of God.

11. Theodicies in Different Types Augustinian position is that God created humans without sin and set them in a sinless, paradisical world. However, humanity fell into sin through misuse of its free will. God`s grace will save some of us, but others will perish everlastingly. In this division God`s goodness is manifested, for his mercy redeems some, and his justice is served on the rest.

12. Theodicies in Different Types The Irenaean tradition views Adam not as free agent rebelling against God but as a child. The fall is humanity`s first faulty step in the direction of Freedom. God is still working with humanity in order to bring it from undeveloped life to state of self-realization in divine love.

13. The Argument from Evil David Hume (1711-1776)

14. Each man feels, in a manner, the truth of religion within his own breast, and, from a consciousness of his imbecility and misery rather than from any reasoning is led to seek protection from that Being on whom he and all nature is dependent.

15. We incessantly look forward and endeavor by prayers, adoration, and sacrifice to appease those unknown powers whom we find, by experience, so able to afflict and oppress us . Wretched creatures that we are! What resource for us amidst the innumerable ills of life did not religion suggest some methods of atonement, and appease those terrors with which are incessantly agitated and tormented.

16. Necessity, hunger, want stimulate the strong and courageous; fear, anxiety, terror, agitate the weak and infirm. Every animal is surrounded with enemies which incessantly seek his misery and destruction. “ Man is the greatest enemy of man.”

17. Oppression, injustice, contempt, contumely, violence, sedition, war, calumny, treachery, fraud. By these they mutually torment each other.

18. The disorders of the mind: remorse, shame, anguish, fear, dejection, despair, who has ever passed through life without cruel inroads from these tormentors?

19. Theodicy: A Defense of Theism Gottfried Leibniz (1646- 1716)

20. A German idealist who tried to set forth a thoroughgoing theodicy, a justification of the ways of God.

21. OBJECTIONS I Whoever does not choose the best is lacking in power, or in knowledge, or in goodness. God did not choose the best in creating this world. Therefore, God has been lacking in power, or in knowledge, or in goodness.

22. ANSWER I deny the minor, that is, the second premise of this syllogism; and our opponent proves it by this. ( Pro syllogism ) Whoever makes things in which there is evil, which could have been made without any evil, or the making of which could have been omitted, does not choose the best. Therefore, God has not chosen the best.

23. ANSWER I grant the minor of this pro syllogism; for it must be confessed that there is evil in this world which God has made, and that it was possible to make a world without evil.

24. ANSWER God allowed to certain creatures the opportunity of exercising their liberty , even when he foresaw that they would turn to evil, but which he could so well rectify; because it was not fitting that, in order to hinder sin, God should not always act in extraordinary manner .

25. OBJECTIONS II If there is more evil than good in intelligent creatures, then there is more evil than good in the whole work of God. Now, there is more evil than good in intelligent creatures. Therefore, there is more evil than good in the whole work of God.