Ocr Philosophy - The Problem Of Evil

Front 1

What does the problem of evil mean?

Back 1

It examines the apparent apparent contradiction that exists between the Theistic concept of God as an omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent being and the fact that evil exists in the world that God is believed to have created.

Front 2

Omnipotence

Back 2

Omnipotence means that God is a being who can do anything except something that is logically impossible.

God is all-powerful, but his power can only enable the possible to happen.

Front 3

Omniscience

Back 3

Traditional Theism states that God knows everything including what humans will do in advance of their actions.

Front 4

Benevolent

Back 4

Theists believe that God is a wholly good being who cares about Human beings.

Front 5

J. L. Mackie

Back 5

Mackie claims that the problem of evil damages the credibility of Theism. The logical form of the problem of evil implies that Theism is internally inconsistent. This is because the Theist accepts a number of statements that are logically incompatible will one another.

The statements:

1) God exists.

2) God is omnipotent.

3) God is omniscient.

4) God is benevolent.

5) Evil exists.

Front 6

Problems with J. L. Mackie's statements?

Back 6

Many philosophers say that these statements are logically inconsistent with each other, similarly, to the statements:

This object is Red.

This object is not coloured.

It is impossible to accept the truth of both statements.

Front 7

How can the logical problem of the statements be solved?

Back 7

- Statement 1 is denied and God is thought to not exist.

- Statement 2 is denied and God is thought not to be omnipotent.

- Statement 3 is denied and God is thought to lack the property of omniscience.

- Statement 4 is denied and God is thought not to be Benevolent.

- Statement 5 cannot be denied as it is a fact that evil exists in the world that God is believed to have created.

Supporters of the logical problem of evil claim that statements 1-4 are a set of logically inconsistent statements. Mackie believes that the statements 1-4 are all logically inconsistent, just like the statements 'London is the capital of England' and 'London is not the capital of England' - these are clearly inconsistent.

Front 8

What does Mackie add to the statements?

Back 8

Mackie adds things to the logical problem of evil in order to show what he thinks is inconsistent within the Theist's believed
1) Good is opposed to evil.

2) A being who is wholly good eliminates evil as far as he can.

3) There are no limits to what an Omnipotent being can do.

4) A wholly good omnipotent being would eliminate evil completely.

5) Evil exists.

6) Therefore there cannot be a wholly good Omnipotent being.

Front 9

Objections towards Mackie

Back 9

Alvin Plantinga argued that if we add the following statements to the logical problem of evil, there will be a way out of the problem.

1) An omnipotent, omniscient and perfectly good being would not permit evil if it did not have a morally sufficient reason for doing so.

Therefore Plantinga is saying that God might allow evil for a reason.