PHIL 1301 HCC Journal on The Problem of Evil Discussion

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PHIL 1301

Houston Community College Inc

PHIL

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1. Using the argument of Augustine' The Nature of the Good (ch 7), how do we explain the nature of evil? In the Powerpoint notes, describe the two kinds of evil? Using the philosophical argument of Augustine, explain "evil is a negative being" or "evil is a side-effect of the good" or "evil is the other side of the good"?

2. Using Aquinas' The Problem of Good and Evil, explain what caused evil? Can God be the cause of evil by Aquinas? Discover the role of free will in the problem of evil?

3. In the Supplement Reading and PowerPoint notes, describe the theodicy or justification of the existence of evil by Joseph Butler and John Hick's soul searching idea of evil using Irenaeus' understanding of evil?

4. In the PowerPoint notes, describe two solutions of JL Mackie's on evil--what is his adequate or inadequate solution? What do you think is JL Machie's reasoning, it is acceptable or not?

5. From the personal reflection, for you, why is there evil in the world? Is the problem of evil an obstacle to God's existence? If there is evil in the world, does that mean God does not exist? Explain your view.

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God and The Problem of Evil Phil 1301 Prof. J. Coquilla, MA Instructor 1 THE PROBLEM OF EVIL As Obstacle to Proof on God’s Existence ARGUMENT:  God either cannot or will not prevent evil ◦ If God cannot prevent evil, then God is limited in power ◦ If God will not prevent evil, then God is limited in benevolence ◦ But if God is not limited in either power or benevolence, why is there evil in the world? 2 St. Augustine Since God is the Highest Good, He would not allow any evil to exist in His works, unless His omnipotence and goodness were such as to bring good even out of evil. This is part of His infinite goodness. 3 Augustine: On Free Choice of the Will Augustine (354-430 CE)-Read Life Pp.77  Story of his Conversion to christianity  Influenced by Platonic Ideas: Matter is Evil.  Defended Christianity as reason of the fall of Roman Empire (The City of God, 413416 CE)  Bishop of Milan  4 How to justify the problem of Evil?  Augustine’s dialogue to Evodius  Evodius asked: Isn’t God the cause of evil?  Augustine: distinguishing two kinds of evil 1. The evil that people suffer (as fruit of 2. sinfulness). This evil that God allows to happen because of sins. The evil that people do (as product of free choice/freedom). This evil comes from people’s inordinate desires of the temporal and changeable. Voluntary act of will, God cannot be part of it, since God would punish the evildoers at the end. 5 Augustine’ Metaphysics of Evil   A. That God is good; He creates only the Good. All things are good. Behind the Good, there is evil. Reason why: There is evil in the world, but evil is not a “thing” or a positive being, but as negative being, like a “malfunctioning of the good.” Only the good is caused by God. In human, there is moral evil, the mis-use of free will is sin, and sin is a spiritual evil, responsible for the physical evils in the world such as diseases and calamities. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas’ commentary on Role of Freewill God has decided to endow us with free will, a tremendous gift that gives humans the freedom to choose between love of God and hatred of him.  God created us as human beings and not as preprogrammed robots.  In His infinite goodness, He desired the free love of humanity over forced obedience to His will. For love cannot be forced, it must be given by desire and choice.  7 Bishop Joseph Butler (1692-1752) believes that our present life is a trial – a state of probation or testing ground for a future life. Evil and temptation exist in this world as part of our test. Hence at times, we must forgo our earthly happiness for the sake of our future happiness. 8 JOHN HICK’S PROBLEM OF EVIL John Hick (Born:1922 Death: __)  Read his autobiography p 102  Writing: in his book, Philosophy of Religion, mentioned the problem of evil (ch 4).  “That the existence of evil is a problem for those who believe in God, since am all-loving God would presumably want to abolish evil, and all powerful God would be able to do so.”  9 John Hick’s Three Theories A. From Augustine (354-430) – p 102 That God is good; All things are good; There is evil in the world, but evil is not a “thing” but a “malfunctioning of a thing,” not caused by God but by creatures who possess free will.  The mis-use of free will is sin, and sin is a spiritual evil, responsible for the physical evils in the world such as diseases and calamities.  10  B. From Ineraeus (130-202) –focuses not on the sinfulness of human beings but on their capacity for spiritual growth. Based on this idea, Christians argue that God permits evil because evil provides human beings with the opportunity to respond in a way that promotes personal growth— for soul-searching. 11  C. From Contemporary Process Theologians, takings Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947)—rejecting traditional view that God created the universe. God in only one part of the universe—but not all—God has power but limited. God invites creatures to the good but is unable to control their actions. Hence evil happens. Evil is part of creative process going on in the universe. 12 J.L. MACKIE’s EVIL AND OMNIPOTENCE JL Makie (1917-1981) – Australia  Read autobiography p. 89  Writing: “Evil and Omnipotence”, Mackie discusses the “problem of evil”  Read: p. 89 summary of Argument – what theists hold about God that creates the whole issue.  13 Adequate and Fallacious Solutions  Fallacious Arguments: four arguments 1. 2. 3. 4.   That Good cannot exist without evil. That Evil is necessary as a means to good. That the Universe is better with some evil. 4. That Evil is due to human freewill. Adequate Argument: The easy solution to the problem is to deny one of the premises: God is not omnipotent; or God is not all-good. Mackie explores the fundamental irrationality of believing in a God who is omnipotent, all-good, but there is evil. 14
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1.


We have evil in the world but evil is not a ‘thing’, it is a malfunctioning of
the good. This malfunctioning is not caused by God but by creatures such
as humans and angels who possess the power of free will and use it
wrongly, the misuse of free will causes evil in the world.



Two kinds of evil:
1. The evil that people suffer (as the fruit of sinfulness). This evil
that God allows to happen because of sins.
2. The evil that people do (as a product of free choice/freedom).
This evil comes from people’s inordinate desires of the temporal
and changeable. The voluntary act of will, God cannot be part of
it, since God would punish the evildoers at the end.



That God is good; He creates only the Good. All things are good. Behind
the Good, there is evil. The reason there is evil in the world, but evil is not
a “thing” or a positive being, but as negative beings, like a “malfunctioning
of the good.” Only the good is caused by God.

2.


God does allow evil to exist in His presence so that He can create good
from this evil. In other words, God is omnipotent and represents the
highest order of goodness and because of these qualities, evil exists so
that God can bring good out of such evil. Aquinas asserts that if God is
indeed representative of infinite goodness, then evil would not exist within

our world because good would occupy all temporal and spatial points of
reality.


God has decided to endow us with free will,...

ObvcrybW (2336)
UT Austin

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