Mackie

According to Mackie, what three statements are impossible to exist at the same time?

"God is omnipotent" "God is wholly good" and "Evil exists"

What is the second order of sovereignty?

"the unlimited authority to make second orders laws" (Laws governing the actions of legislatures themselves)

What is the first order of sovereignty?

"unlimited authority to make first orders law" (laws governing the actions of individuals)

What are the two different order of omnipotence?

"unlimited power to act" and "unlimited power to determine what powers to act things shall have"

What is the paradox of sovereignty?

This concerns the possibility of a law-making institution, like Congress, passing a law deprives it of its ability to make laws.

What does the second order of omnipotence enable God to do?

To give free will to human beings

True or False: One cannot possess both types of sovereignty at all times

True

True or False: It is logically impossible for God to exhibit both orders of omnipotence at all times

True: God cannot do that

What is hypothetical syllogism?

a syllogism having a conditional statement for one or both of its premises. An example in English: If I do not wake up, then I cannot go to work. If I cannot go to work, then I will not get paid

What does the first order of omnipotence enable God to do?

have complete control over human beings

omnipotent

infinitely powerful

To illustrate the distinction between the two orders of omnipotence, and how its solves the paradox of omnipotence, Mackie makes an analogy between that paradox and what?

paradox of sovereignty

Which of Mackie's rules follows a hypothetical syllogism?

premise 8 (following premise 6 and 7)

Which rule of Mackie's do both theist and atheist agree with?

premise 9 - evil exists

What view is Mackie committed towards even though he brings up several objections to that view?

that good and and evil are counterparts

What is the fourth attempted solution to Mackie's problem of evil that Mackie considers?

The free will defense

What is Mackie's overall argument paraphased?

1. God is omnipotent 2. God is omnibenevolent 3. Good is opposed to evil in such a way that a good thing always eliminates evil as far as it can 4. There are no limits to what and omnipotent thing can do 5. A good omnipotent thing eliminates evil completely 6. If God exists, then God eliminates evil completely 7. If God eliminates evil completely, then evil does not exist 8. If God exists, then evil does not exist 9. Evil exists 10. Therefore, God does not exist

How does Mackie argue the second objection?

1. if good and evil are counterparts, then a good thing will not eliminate evil as far as it can 2. A good thing always eliminates evil as far as it can 3. Therefore, good and evil are not counterparts

Mackie argues that premise 3 and 4 entail premise ______

5

Since god is both omnipotent and omnibenevolent, if premise 5 is true, premise ____ is true.

6

What is the Paradox of Omnipotence?

A concept that concerns whether or not an omnipotent being can make things which he himself cannot subsequently control

What is the problem of evil/argument from evil?

A popular argument to challenge the belief that God exists

Who is Alvin Plantinga?

A supporter of the free will defense that believes it is possible that natural evils are caused by malicious evil demons who misused their free will to do evil. And God will not take away their free will for the same reason God will not take the free will away from humans

What is the free will defense?

An argument towards the problem of evil that states free will is good, and that evil arises in the world as a result of a misuse of free will

What is a logical argument from evil?

Argue God does not exist

What is the third attempted solution to Mackie's problem of evil?

Argues that the universe is better with some evil in it than it could be if there were no evil. Denying that good is opposed to evil

Why is God doubted when it comes to natural evils?

Because even if humans didn't exist with free will , natural evils would still occur. And any type of evil seems to be incompatible with God.

What is the second attempted solution to Mackie's problem of evil?

Claims that evil is a necessary as a means to good, implying a severe restriction of Gods power

Another possible solution to the paradox of omnipotence is to deny that God is a _________________ being

Continuing

God could eradicate evil by depriving us of __________ __________ but by doing so he would be eradicating _______________ in the process.

Free will: Goodness

In Mackie's argument known as "Evil and Omnipotent" what is his main argument?

God and evil cannot coexist

What is the first attempted solution to Mackie's logical problem of evil?

Good cannot exist without evil implies that God cannot create good without simultaneously creating evil. This means that either God is not omnipotent or their are limits to what an omnipotent being can do.

What aspect of Mackie's research made it a philosophical classic?

His critique of an assumption that went unchallenged for centuries. The assumption that the existence of evil is a necessary condition for the existence of free will

What is the main argument behind every problem of evil argument?

How can a God how is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent let evil exist? How does one explain the coexist of those two things, God and Evil?

What is the second objection of Mackie?

If good and evil are counterparts, a good thing will not eliminate evil as far as it can

Omnibenevolent

Infinitely good

Omniscient

Infinitely intelligent

What happens if you apply both orders of omnipotence to God?

It diminishes his power. God cannot have complete control of human beings while also allowing them free will. Just as he cannot allow humans free will and still have control of them.

Why is free will so important?

It is a necessary condition for us to be morally good (free will allows us to have a choice to be good or not be good)

What is a common thought towards the free will defense?

It only works when applied to moral evil

How does Mackie solve the paradox of sovereignty?

Making a distinction between the first and second order of sovereignty

What is the first solution Mackie investigates towards the Paradox of Omnipotence?

Making a distinction between two different orders of omnipotence

What is the overall message of the third attempted solution to Mackie's problem of evil (in detail)?

Moral goods arise in response to evil and suffering. People develop types of moral goods/virtues through their struggle with evil and adversity. Without those evil struggles, it would eliminate the moral virtues cultivated by people

What are natural evils?

Natural disasters, pain, hunger, illness, etc because of the immense suffering they cause.

What premise of Mackie's must theists deny and why?

Premise 8, because they believe that God exists and the evil exists

What two ways can philosophers use the problem of evil argument?

That God cannot exist and that the presence of evil lowers the possibility of God existing

What is one extremely important fact that neither Mackie or his opponents discussed?

That in order for a good thing to eliminate evil as far as it can, the evil it eliminates must exist for at least one moment

What do some supporters of the free will defense say about natural evils?

That natural evils are one method by which God punishes people who are morally evil

What does Mackie's argument prove towards the existence of God?

That the God described in the mainstream religion cannot possibly exist due to the existence of evil

If this statement by Mackie is true "That god could have created people in such a way that they possess genuine free will but always make morally good choice" then what does that entail?

That the existence of free will does not explain/justify evils existence but, provides a reason to doubt the existence of an all powerful God because that God would know how to create people that always freely make good choices.

What happens to the understanding of God if God does not continuously exist in time both before and after giving people free will?

The the problem of how God could posses both types of omnipotence, would dissolve.

Mackie states that is good and evil are counterparts, a good thing will not completely eliminate evil without eliminating ____________ in the process

itself

One of the most popular responses to Mackie's critique of the free will defense does not incorporate what aspect?

paradox of omnipotence

What is an evidential argument from evil?

that the presence of evil lowers the possibility of God existing

Mackie's premise 1 and 2 are derived from what concept?

the mainstream conceptions of God

What is modus tollens?

the rule of logic stating that if a conditional statement ("if p then q ") is accepted, and the consequent does not hold ( not-q ), then the negation of the antecedent ( not-p ) can be inferred.

Explanation on Mackie's 3 and 4 premise?

third premise indicates an essential feature of goodness while the fourth follows the concept of omnipotent