Week 8-9 CH: 9 The Problem of Evil: Is there Evidence against God's Existence?

Plantinga's Free Will Defense

(MSR1) God's creation of persons with morally significant free will is something of tremendous value. God could not eliminate much of the evil and suffering in this world without thereby eliminating the greater good of having created persons with free will with whom he could have relationships and who are able to love one another and do good deeds.

Gratuitous evil

pointless evils from which no greater good seems to result. According to proponents, the existence of apparently gratuitous evil provides strong evidence that God (as traditionally defined) does not exist (e.g., William Rowe).

Soul Making Theodicy

contends that God allows some evil because it builds positive character in the victims or in others which outweighs the negative value of the evil itself (e.g., John Hick).

The Evidential Problem of Evil

the evidential (or probabilistic) argument from evil contends that some known fact about evil is evidence against the existence of God. For instance, one version of the argument contends that the biological role of pain and pleasure is much more likely on naturalism than theism (e.g., Paul Draper).

Defense

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The Logical Problem of Evil

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Skeptical Theism

..., The position which holds that arguments against the truth of theism suffer from the defect of presupposing that we know things that we cannot

Shortcomings of the Free Will Defense - Non-Moral Evil

3.1 Non-moral evil First of all, it is important to note that the FWD fails entirely as a way to free God of responsibility for non-moral, often called physical or natural, evil, since this type of evil is independent of any actions of men. Some usual examples are famines, floods, disease, and earthquakes. Plantinga (1974, p. 192) argues that neither God nor humans are responsible for these things, but that fallen angels cause them.

Unknown Purpose Defense

According to the unknown purpose defense (UPD), God allows apparently pointless suffering for some reason that we can't comprehend.

Plantinga

Designed the Free Will Defense to prove that the logical argument does not show theism to be inconsistent

the theodicy problem,

If God exists, he is all-knowing, all-powerful, and perfectly good.[1] The existence of suffering is incompatible with the existence of God. Suffering exists. God does not exist.[2]

Free Will Defense

The free will defense (FWD) maintains that God has to allow the existence of some evil in order to preserve human free will (e.g., Alvin Plantinga, Robert Adams).

Theodicy

Offers an account or an explanation of why God allows suffering and evil

Free Will Defense - SwinBurne

Swinburne (1991, p. 200) asserts that "[a] good God would have reason to create a world in which there were men with a choice of destiny and responsibility for each other, despite the evils which would inevitably or almost inevitably be presented in it, for the sake of the good which it contained." In other words, God chose to create a world with evil in it because he valued the moral autonomy of humans - which he knew would lead to evil - higher than pure goodness.[4]

Shortcomings of the Free Will Defense - Humans Do Not Have Free Will

The primary argument is quite simple. The FWD holds that humans have free will to do either good or evil. My argument states - on the basis of the Bible - that humans do not have free will, and hence, that God is responsible and blameworthy also for what is referred to as moral evil. But then we are back at the insight that this situation is incompatible with God's being in possession of the three characteristics listed in point 1 of Section 1 - and hence, he does not exist.[9]

Natural Evil

the terrible pain, suffering, and untimely death caused by events like fire, flood, landslide, hurricane, earthquake, tidal wave, and famine and by diseases like cancer, leprosy and tetanus—as well as crippling defects and deformities like blindness, deafness, dumbness, shriveled limbs, and insanity by which so many sentient beings are cheated of the full benefits of life.

warranted beliefs

beliefs that are supported by serious considerations

Moral Evil

both moral wrong-doing such as lying, cheating, stealing, torturing, and murdering and character defects like greed, deceit, cruelty, wantonness, cowardice, and selfishness.