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| evidential problem of evil: The Evidential Argument from Evil William L. Rowe, Paul Draper, Richard Swinburne, Eleonore Stump, Alvin Plantinga, William P. Alston, Stephen J. Wykstra, Peter van Inwagen, Bruce Russell, Richard M. Gale, 2008-10-17 Is evil evidence against the existence of God? A collection of essays by philosophers, theologians, and other scholars. Even if God and evil are compatible, it remains hotly contested whether evil renders belief in God unreasonable. The Evidential Argument from Evil presents five classic statements on this issue by eminent philosophers and theologians, and places them in dialogue with eleven original essays reflecting new thinking by these and other scholars. The volume focuses on two versions of the argument. The first affirms that there is no reason for God to permit either certain specific horrors or the variety and profusion of undeserved suffering. The second asserts that pleasure and pain, given their biological role, are better explained by hypotheses other than theism. Contributors include William P. Alston, Paul Draper, Richard M. Gale, Daniel Howard-Snyder, Alvin Plantinga, William L. Rowe, Bruce Russell, Eleonore Stump, Richard G. Swinburne, Peter van Inwagen, and Stephen John Wykstra. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Evidential Argument from Evil Daniel Howard-Snyder, 1996 Is evil evidence against the existence of God? Even if God and evil are compatible, it remains hotly contested whether evil renders belief in God unreasonable. The Evidential Argument from Evil presents five classic statements on this issue by eminent philosophers and theologians and places them in dialogue with eleven original essays reflecting new thinking by these and other scholars. The volume focuses on two versions of the argument. The first affirms that there is no reason for God to permit either certain specific horrors or the variety and profusion of undeserved suffering. The second asserts that pleasure and pain, given their biological role, are better explained by hypotheses other than theism. Contributors include William P. Alston, Paul Draper, Richard M. Gale, Daniel Howard-Snyder, Alvin Plantinga, William L. Rowe, Bruce Russell, Eleonore Stump, Richard G. Swinburne, Peter van Inwagen, and Stephen John Wykstra. |
| evidential problem of evil: Reasonable Faith William Lane Craig, 2008 This updated edition by one of the world's leading apologists presents a systematic, positive case for Christianity that reflects the latest work in the contemporary hard sciences and humanities. Brilliant and accessible. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Problem of Evil Michael L. Peterson, 2016-11-15 Of all the issues in the philosophy of religion, the problem of reconciling belief in God with evil in the world arguably commands more attention than any other. For over two decades, Michael L. Peterson’s The Problem of Evil: Selected Readings has been the most widely recognized and used anthology on the subject. Peterson's expanded and updated second edition retains the key features of the original and presents the main positions and strategies in the latest philosophical literature on the subject. It will remain the most complete introduction to the subject as well as a resource for advanced study. Peterson organizes his selection of classical and contemporary sources into four parts: important statements addressing the problem of evil from great literature and classical philosophy; debates based on the logical, evidential, and existential versions of the problem; major attempts to square God's justice with the presence of evil, such as Augustinian, Irenaean, process, openness, and felix culpa theodicies; and debates on the problem of evil covering such concepts as a best possible world, natural evil and natural laws, gratuitous evil, the skeptical theist defense, and the bearing of biological evolution on the problem. The second edition includes classical excerpts from the book of Job, Voltaire, Dostoevsky, Augustine, Aquinas, Leibniz, and Hume, and twenty-five essays that have shaped the contemporary discussion, by J. L. Mackie, Alvin Plantinga, William Rowe, Marilyn Adams, John Hick, William Hasker, Paul Draper, Michael Bergmann, Eleonore Stump, Peter van Inwagen, and numerous others. Whether a professional philosopher, student, or interested layperson, the reader will be able to work through a number of issues related to how evil in the world affects belief in God. |
| evidential problem of evil: Nature Red in Tooth and Claw Michael Murray, 2008-06-19 Those who believe in God often puzzle over how God could permit evil and suffering in the world. Nature Red in Tooth and Claw focuses specifically on non-human animal suffering, and whether or not it raises problems for belief in the existence of a perfectly good creator. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Problem of Evil Peter van Inwagen, 2008-04-17 The vast amount of suffering in the world is often held as a particularly powerful reason to deny that God exists. Highly accessible and carefully argued, Peter van Inwagen's book maintains that such reasoning does not hold, and that suffering should not undermine belief in God. |
| evidential problem of evil: Philosophy of Religion: A Very Short Introduction Tim Bayne, 2018-02-13 What is the philosophy of religion? How can we distinguish it from theology on the one hand and the psychology/sociology of religious belief on the other? What does it mean to describe God as 'eternal'? And should religious people want there to be good arguments for the existence of God, or is religious belief only authentic in the absence of these good arguments? In this Very Short Introduction Tim Bayne introduces the field of philosophy of religion, and engages with some of the most burning questions that philosophers discuss. Considering how 'religion' should be defined, and whether we even need to be able to define it in order to engage in the philosophy of religion, he goes on to discuss whether the existence of God matters. Exploring the problem of evil, Bayne also debates the connection between faith and reason, and the related question of what role reason should play in religious contexts. Shedding light on the relationship between science and religion, Bayne finishes by considering the topics of reincarnation and the afterlife. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
| evidential problem of evil: Wandering in Darkness Eleonore Stump, 2012-09-13 Only the most naïve or tendentious among us would deny the extent and intensity of suffering in the world. Can one hold, consistently with the common view of suffering in the world, that there is an omniscient, omnipotent, perfectly good God? This book argues that one can. Wandering in Darkness first presents the moral psychology and value theory within which one typical traditional theodicy, namely, that of Thomas Aquinas, is embedded. It explicates Aquinas's account of the good for human beings, including the nature of love and union among persons. Eleonore Stump also makes use of developments in neurobiology and developmental psychology to illuminate the nature of such union. Stump then turns to an examination of narratives. In a methodological section focused on epistemological issues, the book uses recent research involving autism spectrum disorder to argue that some philosophical problems are best considered in the context of narratives. Using the methodology argued for, the book gives detailed, innovative exegeses of the stories of Job, Samson, Abraham and Isaac, and Mary of Bethany. In the context of these stories and against the backdrop of Aquinas's other views, Stump presents Aquinas's own theodicy, and shows that Aquinas's theodicy gives a powerful explanation for God's allowing suffering. She concludes by arguing that this explanation constitutes a consistent and cogent defense for the problem of suffering. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Problem of Evil Jeremy A. Evans, 2013 For philosophy and theology scholars as well as their students, a thoughtful book offering holistic responses to the problem of evil that are philosophically and theologically maintainable. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Problem of Evil Daniel Speak, 2014-11-11 The most forceful philosophical objections to belief in God arise from the existence of evil. Bad things happen in the world and it is not clear how this is compatible with the existence of an all-powerful and perfectly loving being. Unsurprisingly then, philosophers have formulated powerful arguments for atheism based on the existence of apparently unjustified suffering. These arguments give expression to what we call the problem of evil. This volume is an engaging introduction to the philosophical problem of evil. Daniel Speak provides a clear overview of the main lines of reasoning in this debate and argues for the defensibility of theistic belief in the face of evil. He fleshes out the distinction between theodicy and defense and guides the reader through the logical, evidential, and hiddenness versions of the problem. In an accessible and beautifully written account, Speak describes the central issues surrounding the problem of evil in a way that clarifies both the complex reasoning and specialised terminology of the topic. The Problem of Evil is an ideal introduction to contemporary debates over one of the most gripping perennial questions. Read either on its own or alongside the primary materials it deftly covers, students and scholars will find this volume a terrific resource for understanding the challenges to religious belief raised by evil. |
| evidential problem of evil: Ethics and the Problem of Evil Marilyn McCord Adams, John Hare, Linda Zagzebski, Laura Garcia, Bruce Russell, Stephen J. Wykstra, Stephen Maitzen, 2017-02-27 Provocative essays that seek “to turn the attention of analytic philosophy of religion on the problem of evil . . . towards advances in ethical theory” (Reading Religion). The contributors to this book—Marilyn McCord Adams, John Hare, Linda Zagzebski, Laura Garcia, Bruce Russell, Stephen Wykstra, and Stephen Maitzen—attended two University of Notre Dame conferences in which they addressed the thesis that there are yet untapped resources in ethical theory for affecting a more adequate solution to the problem of evil. The problem of evil has been an extremely active area of study in the philosophy of religion for many years. Until now, most sources have focused on logical, metaphysical, and epistemological issues, leaving moral questions as open territory. With the resources of ethical theory firmly in hand, this volume provides lively insight into this ageless philosophical issue. “These essays—and others—will be of primary interest to scholars working in analytic philosophy of religion from a self-consciously Christian standpoint, but its audience is not limited to such persons. The book offers illustrative examples of how scholars in philosophy of religion understand their aims and how they go about making their arguments . . . hopefully more work will follow this volume’s lead.”—Reading Religion “Recommended.”—Choice |
| evidential problem of evil: Calvinism and the Problem of Evil David E. Alexander, Daniel M. Johnson, 2016-07-13 Contrary to what many philosophers believe, Calvinism neither makes the problem of evil worse nor is it obviously refuted by the presence of evil and suffering in our world. Or so most of the authors in this book claim. While Calvinism has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years amongst theologians and laypersons, many philosophers have yet to follow suit. The reason seems fairly clear: Calvinism, many think, cannot handle the problem of evil with the same kind of plausibility as other more popular views of the nature of God and the nature of God's relationship with His creation. This book seeks to challenge that untested assumption. With clarity and rigor, this collection of essays seeks to fill a significant hole in the literature on the problem of evil. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Best Argument against God G. Oppy, 2013-07-23 .... compares two theories—Naturalism and Theism—on a wide range of relevant data. It concludes that Naturalism should be preferred to Theism on that data. The central idea behind the argument is that, while Naturalism is simpler than Theism, there is no relevant data that Naturalism fails to explain at least as well as Theism does. |
| evidential problem of evil: De Malo Saint Thomas (Aquinas), 2001 The De Malo represents some of St. Thomas Aquinas' most mature thinking on goodness, badness, and human agency. Together with the second part of the Summa Theologiae, it is one of his most sustained contributions to moral philosophy and theology. Aquinas examines the full range of questions associated with evil: its origin, its nature, its variety, its relation to good, and its compatibility with the existence of an omnipotent, benevolent God. This edition offers the Leonine Commission's authoritative edition of the Latin text with a new, clear, and readable English translation by Richard Regan with an extensive introduction and notes by Brian Davies. |
| evidential problem of evil: God and the Problem of Evil William L. Rowe, 2001-07-16 God and the Problem of Evil brings together influential essays on the question of whether the amount of seemingly pointless malice and suffering in our world counts against the rationality of belief in God, a being who is said to be all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Blackwell Companion to The Problem of Evil Justin P. McBrayer, Daniel Howard-Snyder, 2014-01-14 The Blackwell Companion to the Problem of Evil presents a collection of original essays providing both overview and insight, clarifying and evaluating the philosophical and theological “problem of evil” in its various contexts and manifestations. Features all original essays that explore the various forms of the problems of evil, offering theistic responses that attempt to explain evil as well as discussion of the challenges facing such explanations Includes section introductions with a historical essay that traces the developments of the issues explored Acknowledges the fact that there are many problems of evil, some of which apply only to those who believe in concepts such as hell and some of which apply to non-theists Represents views from the various religious traditions, including Hindu, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim |
| evidential problem of evil: The Problem of Evil Marilyn McCord Adams, Robert Merrihew Adams, 1990 This collection of important writings fills the need for an anthology that adequately represents recent work on the problem of evil. This is perhaps one of the most discussed topics in the philosophy of religion, and is of perennial interest to philosophers and theologians. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Philosophy of Religion Edward R. Wierenga, 2016-07-28 Philosophy of Religion is an engaging introduction to the main tenets of this fascinating subject, written clearly and with detailed enough explanation to be accessible to those new to the field, whilst providing original and challenging ideas to more experienced students. The ideal introduction to this fascinating subject, providing a clear and engaging entry point to the field The book lucidly introduces the main issues in philosophy of religion and develops a rigorous yet accessible approach to evaluating positions on these issues No previous exposure to philosophy is assumed, and more technical topics are introduced and explained before they are employed Original ideas and new approaches to concepts within the book ensure that it is also relevant to those already familiar with the subject |
| evidential problem of evil: Reason, Metaphysics, and Mind Alvin Plantinga, 2012-02-09 Each of the essays in this volume engages with some particular aspect of philosopher Alvin Plantinga's views on metaphysics, epistemology, or philosophy of religion. |
| evidential problem of evil: God, Suffering, and the Value of Free Will Laura W. Ekstrom, 2021-02-23 For many of us, the question of whether or not God exists is one of the most perplexing and profound questions of our lives, and numerous philosophers and theologians have debated it for centuries. Laura Ekstrom here takes a new look at the issue of God's existence by examining it against the reality of human suffering, bringing to the fore contentious presuppositions concerning agency and value at the core of the matter. When we survey the world, we observe an enormous amount of pain, including virtually unspeakable kinds of maltreatment and agony, many instances of which seem patently unfair, unearned, and pointless. This book argues that, in light of these observations, it is reasonable to conclude that God does not exist. The book unravels the extent and power of arguments from evil. Ekstrom provides a close investigation of a largely overlooked claim at the heart of major free-will-based responses to such arguments, namely that free will is worth it: sufficiently valuable to serve as the good that provides a God-justifying reason for permitting evil in the world. Through fresh examinations of traditional theodicies, Ekstrom develops an alternative line called divine intimacy theodicy, and makes an extended case for rejecting skeptical theism. The book takes up an argument from evil concerning a traditional doctrine of hell, which reveals a number of compelling issues concerning fault, agency, and blameworthiness. In response to recent work contending that the problem of evil is toothless because God is indifferent to human beings, Ekstrom defends the essential perfect moral goodness of God. She further tackles the question of whether or not it is possible to live a religious life as an agnostic or as an atheist. Through rigorous reflection, with deep respect for religious thought and experience, and with sensitivity to the range and kinds of suffering so many endure, Ekstrom firmly advances discussion of the problem of evil and paves the way for further scholarship in the philosophy of religion. |
| evidential problem of evil: Humanism: A Very Short Introduction Stephen Law, 2011-01-27 Religion is currently gaining a much higher profile. The number of faith schools is increasingly, and religious points of view are being aired more frequently in the media. As religion's profile rises, those who reject religion, including humanists, often find themselves misunderstood, and occasionally misrepresented. Stephen Law explores how humanism uses science and reason to make sense of the world, looking at how it encourages individual moral responsibility and shows that life can have meaning without religion. Challenging some of the common misconceptions, he seeks to dispute the claims that atheism and humanism are 'faith positions' and that without God there can be no morality and our lives are left without purpose. Looking at the history of humanism and its development as a philosophical alternative, he examines the arguments for and against the existence of God, and explores the role humanism plays in moral and secular societies, as well as in moral and religious education. Using humanism to determine the meaning of life, he shows that there is a positive alternative to traditional religious belief. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Theology Thomas P. Flint, Michael Rea, 2011-03-17 Philosophical theology is aimed primarily at theoretical understanding of the nature and attributes of God and of God's relationship to the world and its inhabitants. During the twentieth century, much of the philosophical community (both in the Anglo-American analytic tradition and in Continental circles) had grave doubts about our ability to attain any such understanding. In recent years the analytic tradition in particular has moved beyond the biases that placed obstacles in the way of the pursuing questions located on the interface of philosophy and religion. The result has been a rebirth of serious, widely-discussed work in philosophical theology. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Theology attempts both to familiarize readers with the directions in which this scholarship has gone and to pursue the discussion into hitherto under-examined areas. Written by some of the leading scholars in the field, the essays in the Handbook are grouped in five sections. In the first (Theological Prolegomena), articles focus on the authority of scripture and tradition, on the nature and mechanisms of divine revelation, on the relation between religion and science, and on theology and mystery. The next section (Divine Attributes) focuses on philosophical problems connected with the central divine attributes: aseity, omnipotence, omniscience, and the like. In Section Three (God and Creation), essays explore theories of divine action and divine providence, questions about petitionary prayer, problems about divine authority and God's relationship to morality and moral standards, and various formulations of and responses to the problem of evil. The fourth section (Topics in Christian Philosophy) examines philosophical problems that arise in connection with such central Christian doctrines as the trinity, the incarnation, the atonement, original sin, resurrection, and the Eucharist. Finally, Section Five (Non-Christian Philosophical Theology) introduces readers to work that is being done in Jewish, Islamic, and Chinese philosophical theology. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Cambridge Companion to the Problem of Evil Chad Meister, Paul K. Moser, 2017-06-09 This Companion offers a state-of-the-art contribution by providing critical analyses of and creative insights on the problem of evil. |
| evidential problem of evil: When Bad Things Happen to Good People Harold S. Kushner, 2001 Offers an inspirational and compassionate approach to understanding the problems of life, and argues that we should continue to believe in God's fairness. |
| evidential problem of evil: Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil Jill Graper Hernandez, 2016-05-05 Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil examines the concept of theodicy—the attempt to reconcile divine perfection with the existence of evil—through the lens of early modern female scholars. This timely volume knits together the perennial problem of defining evil with current scholarly interest in women’s roles in the evolution of religious philosophy. Accessible for those without a background in philosophy or theology, Jill Graper Hernandez’s text will be of interest to upper-level undergraduates as well as graduate students and researchers. |
| evidential problem of evil: Thomism and the Problem of Animal Suffering B. Kyle Keltz, 2020-06-12 The problem of animal suffering is the atheistic argument that an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good God would not use millions of years of animal suffering, disease, and death to form a planet for human beings. This argument has not received as much attention in the philosophical literature as other forms of the problem of evil, yet it has been increasingly touted by atheists since Charles Darwin. While several theists have attempted to provide answers to the problem, they disagree with each other as to which answer is correct. Also, some of these theists have given in to the problem and believe it entails that God is limited in certain ways. B. Kyle Keltz seeks to provide a classical answer to the problem of animal suffering inspired by the medieval philosopher/theologian Thomas Aquinas. In doing so, Keltz not only utilizes the wisdom of Aquinas, but also contemporary insights into non-human animal minds from contemporary philosophy and science. Keltz provides a compelling neo-Thomistic answer to the problem of animal suffering and explains why the classical God of theism would create a world that includes animal death. |
| evidential problem of evil: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion David Hume, 1779 Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion is a philosophical work written by the Scottish philosopher David Hume. Through dialogue, three fictional characters named Demea, Philo, and Cleanthes debate the nature of God's existence. While all three agree that a god exists, they differ sharply in opinion on God's nature or attributes and how, or if, humankind can come to knowledge of a deity. In the Dialogues, Hume's characters debate a number of arguments for the existence of God, and arguments whose proponents believe through which we may come to know the nature of God. Such topics debated include the argument from design - for which Hume uses a house - and whether there is more suffering or good in the world (Argument from evil) |
| evidential problem of evil: Theodicy of Love John C. Peckham, 2018-11-06 If God is all powerful and entirely good and loving, why is there so much evil in the world? Based on a close canonical reading of Scripture, this book offers a new approach to the challenge of reconciling the Christian confession of a loving God with the realities of suffering and evil. John Peckham offers a constructive proposal for a theodicy of love that upholds both the sovereignty of God and human freedom, showing that Scripture points toward a framework for thinking about God's love in relation to the world. |
| evidential problem of evil: Cold-Case Christianity J. Warner Wallace, 2013-01-01 Written by an L. A. County homicide detective and former atheist, Cold-Case Christianity examines the claims of the New Testament using the skills and strategies of a hard-to-convince criminal investigator. Christianity could be defined as a “cold case”: it makes a claim about an event from the distant past for which there is little forensic evidence. In Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace uses his nationally recognized skills as a homicide detective to look at the evidence and eyewitnesses behind Christian beliefs. Including gripping stories from his career and the visual techniques he developed in the courtroom, Wallace uses illustration to examine the powerful evidence that validates the claims of Christianity. A unique apologetic that speaks to readers’ intense interest in detective stories, Cold-Case Christianity inspires readers to have confidence in Christ as it prepares them to articulate the case for Christianity. |
| evidential problem of evil: Answering Atheism Trent Horn, 2013-09-01 Today's New Atheists don't just deny God's existence (as the old atheists did) - they consider it their duty to scorn and ridicule religious belief. We don't need new answers for this aggressive modern strain of unbelief: We need a new approach. In Answering Atheism, Trent Horn responds with a fresh and useful resource for the God debate, based on reason, common sense, and more importantly, a charitable approach that respects atheists' sincerity and good will, making this book suitable not just for believers but for skeptics and seekers too. Meticulously researched, and street-tested in Horn's work as a pro-God apologist, it tackles all the major issues of the debate, including: -Reconciling human evil and suffering with the existence of a loving, all-powerful God -Whether the empirical sciences have eliminated the need for God, or in fact point to him -How atheists usually deny moral laws (and thus a moral lawgiver) in theory |
| evidential problem of evil: Is a Good God Logically Possible? James P. Sterba, 2019-07-16 Using yet untapped resources from moral and political philosophy, this book seeks to answer the question of whether an all good God who is presumed to be all powerful is logically compatible with the degree and amount of moral and natural evil that exists in our world. It is widely held by theists and atheists alike that it may be logically impossible for an all good, all powerful God to create a world with moral agents like ourselves that does not also have at least some moral evil in it. James P. Sterba focuses on the further question of whether God is logically compatible with the degree and amount of moral and natural evil that exists in our world. The negative answer he provides marks a new stage in the age-old debate about God's existence. |
| evidential problem of evil: God's Own Ethics Mark C. Murphy, 2017 Every version of the argument from evil requires a premise concerning God's motivation - about the actions that God is motivated to perform or the states of affairs that God is motivated to bring about. The typical source of this premise is a conviction that God is, obviously, morally perfect, where God's moral perfection consists in God's being motivated to act in accordance with the norms of morality by which both we and God are governed. The aim of God's Own Ethics is to challenge this understanding by giving arguments against this view of God as morally perfect and by offering an alternative account of what God's own ethics is like. According to this alternative account, God is in no way required to promote the well-being of sentient creatures, though God may rationally do so. Any norms of conduct that favor the promotion of creaturely well-being that govern God's conduct are norms that are contingently self-imposed by God. This revised understanding of divine ethics should lead us to revise sharply downward our assessment of the force of the argument from evil while leaving intact our conception of God as an absolutely perfect being, supremely worthy of worship. |
| evidential problem of evil: God and Evil Chad Meister, James K. Dew Jr., 2012-11-14 Leading thinkers in Christian philosophy and apologetics take on the problem of evil and suffering. Essays from Gregory Ganssle, Yena Lee, Bruce Little, Garry DeWeese, R. Douglas Geivett and others provide critical engagement with the New Atheists and offer grounds for renewed confidence in the God who is acquainted with grief. |
| evidential problem of evil: Logic and Theism Jordan Howard Sobel, 2003-11-10 This is a wide-ranging 2004 book about arguments for and against beliefs in God. This book will be a valuable resource for philosophers of religion and theologians and will interest logicians and mathematicians as well. |
| evidential problem of evil: Christian Faith and the Problem of Evil Peter Van Inwagen, 2004 Gathers some of the most meaningful recent reflections on the problem of evil. |
| evidential problem of evil: The Problem of Evil Michael Tooley, 2019-08-29 Chapter 1 addresses some preliminary issues that it is important to think about in formulating arguments from evil. Chapter 2 is then concerned with the question of how an incompatibility argument from evil is best formulated, and with possible responses to such arguments. Chapter 3 then focuses on skeptical theism, and on the work that skeptical theists need to do if they are to defend their claim of having defeated incompatibility versions of the argument from evil. Finally, Chapter 4 discusses evidential arguments from evil, and four different kinds of evidential argument are set out and critically examined. |
| evidential problem of evil: Skeptical Theism Trent Dougherty, Justin P. McBrayer, 2014 Given that we meet evils in every quarter of the world, could it be governed by an all-good and all-powerful deity? Whilst some philosophers argue that the problem of evil is strong evidence for atheism, others claim that all of the evils in our world can be explained as requirements for deeper goods. On the other hand, skeptical theists believe in God, but struggle with the task of explaining the role of evils in our world. Skeptical theism tackles the problem of evil by proposing a limited skepticism about the purposes of God, and our abilities to determine whether any given instance is truly an example of gratuitous evil. This collection of 22 original essays presents cutting-edge work on skeptical theistic responses to the problem of evil and the persistent objections that such responses invite. Divided into four sections, the volume discusses the epistemology of sceptical theism, conditions of reasonable epistemic access, the implications for theism, and the implications for morality. |
| evidential problem of evil: William L. Rowe on Philosophy of Religion William L. Rowe, Nick Trakakis, 2017-05-15 William Rowe is one of the leading thinkers in contemporary philosophy of religion. Although he is best known for his contributions to the problem of evil, he has produced innovative and influential work across a wide array of subjects at the interface between philosophy and religion. He has, for example, written extensively on the existentialist theologian, Paul Tillich, on the challenging problem of divine freedom, and on the traditional arguments in support of the existence of God. His work in these areas is distinguished by its clarity, rigour, originality, and sensitivity towards the claims of his theistic opponents. Indeed, Rowe's work has played a pivotal role in the remarkable revival of analytic philosophy of religion since the 1970s. The present collection brings together for the first time Rowe's most significant contributions to the philosophy of religion. This diverse but representative selection of Rowe's writings will provide students, professional scholars as well as general readers with stimulating and accessible discussions on such topics as the philosophical theology of Paul Tillich, the problem of evil, divine freedom, arguments for the existence of God, religious experience, life after death, and religious pluralism. |
| evidential problem of evil: Theodicy Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, 2022-11-13 Theodicy is a book of philosophy by the German polymath Gottfried Leibniz published in 1710, whose optimistic approach to the problem of evil is thought to have inspired Voltaire's Candide. Much of the work consists of a response to the ideas of the French philosopher Pierre Bayle, with whom Leibniz carried on a debate for many years. The Theodicy tries to justify the apparent imperfections of the world by claiming that it is optimal among all possible worlds. It must be the best possible and most balanced world, because it was created by an all powerful and all knowing God, who would not choose to create an imperfect world if a better world could be known to him or possible to exist. In effect, apparent flaws that can be identified in this world must exist in every possible world, because otherwise God would have chosen to create the world that excluded those flaws. Leibniz distinguishes three forms of evil: moral, physical, and metaphysical. Moral evil is sin, physical evil is pain, and metaphysical evil is limitation. God permits moral and physical evil for the sake of greater goods, and metaphysical evil is unavoidable since any created universe must necessarily fall short of God's absolute perfection. |
| evidential problem of evil: Who Rules the World Hans Schwarz, 2021-03-30 Over a career spanning more than fifty years, Hans Schwarz has grappled with nearly all of Christianity's major theological questions. In this latest volume, Schwarz tackles the perennial problem of evil. How is it possible to reconcile the manifest evil and pain in the world with the biblical promise of hope and redemption? Are we, in fact, lonely wanderers in the immensity of the universe about whom nobody cares, or is there something above and beyond us in which we can trust? To this perennial question Schwarz brings his signature blend of pastoral sensitivity and scholarly acumen. Informed by decades in the classroom, Schwarz offers a sweeping survey of views of the problem of evil, beginning with the world's major religious traditions before focusing on the major views across the broad span of Christian history. The book aims to help readers interested in the problem of evil understand the broad sweep of human thought about the problem, and make informed assessments of the issue for themselves. |
IX. THE PROBLEM OF EVIL AND SOME VARIETIES OF ATHEISM
There remains, however, what we may call the evidential form-as opposed to the logical form--of the problem of evil: the view that the variety and profusion of evil in our world, although …
The problem of evil and the free will defence - A Level …
The evidential problem of evil claims that the amount and distribution of evil that exists is good evidence that an omnipotent, good God does not exist. It understands the argument …
Evidential Arguments from Evil I. Reasons: Inductive and …
Last time we considered a deductive argument posing the Problem of Evil for theism (here slightly modified): (1) If God existed, she’d be omniscient, omnipotent, good (OOG).
Evidential Problems of Evil - PhilArchive
Perhaps the best known evidential arguments from evil are those presented in Rowe (1979) and Draper (1989). We shall spend most of the rest of this chapter examining these two …
Rowe’s Arguments from Evil - PhilPapers
Rowe’s Arguments from Evil In a series of papers over the past thirty-five years, William Rowe—(1979), (1986), (1991), (1996), (2001a), (2001c)—has claimed that the kinds and …
3. ROWE’S EVIDENTIAL ARGUMENTS FROM EVIL - Springer
For nearly thirty years, William Rowe has been articulating, defending and refining the evidential argument from evil – the argument that the presence of evil in the world inductively supports or …
The Problem of Evil - Springer
evidential problem of evil poses a different problem to theists with its claim that “the facts of evil constitute evidence against the hypothesis that the world was created, and is governed, by an …
The Evidential Problem Of Evil - exmon01.external.cshl.edu
into four parts: important statements addressing the problem of evil from great literature and classical philosophy; debates based on the logical, evidential, and existential versions of the …
The Problem of Evil and the Probity of Doing Theodicy from …
The problem of evil, pain and suffering, preserves the ancient question of why God could have allowed evil in our world. There have been several arguments from both
Three responses to the problem of evil - A Level Philosophy
The evidential problem of evil claims that the amount and distribution of evil that exists is good evidence that an omnipotent, good God does not exist. It understands the
Refuting Evidential Problems of Evil - kencoughlan.org
Gregory E. Ganssle and Yena Lee address different variations of the evidential argument from evil, beginning with that advanced by William Rowe. According to the authors, Rowe’s
An Examination of the “Problem of Evil”, Theodicy, and a …
“Problem of evil?” How has it been used? And what do I care or think of it? The problem of evil is generally regarded as the dilemma that arises with the belief in an Omnipotent, Omniscient, …
ROWE'S NEW EVIDENTIAL ARGUMENT FROM EVIL: …
In the following step of his argument, Rowe introduces the problem of evil in the guise of the question, Is our world the best God could do? To answer this question, Rowe distinguishes …
1.1 The Problem of Evil 1 Animal Pain and the Evidential
The evidential problem of evil argues the weaker claim that evidence of evil in the world makes it unlikely God exists. The evils referred to in these problems fall into two broad categories:
Evidential arguments from evil - UCSC
Recent discussion of the problem of evil has centered around what is known as the probabilistic or evidential argument from evil. According to this argu-ment the evil in our world is evidence …
Peter Van Inwagen on the Problem of Evil
In his Gifford Lectures, delivered at the University of St Andrews in 2003, van Inwagen presents a comprehensive examination of the problem of evil, both the so-called logical problem of evil …
Recent Work on the Problem of Evil - JSTOR
mulations of the theoretical problem of evil which have emerged in the contemporary scholarship: the logical problem and the evidential problem, respectively. These two sections explore the …
The problem of evil as an evidential problemthe inconsistent …
Augustine’s theodicy resolves the logical problem of evil by giving God more than one good reason to not intervene to prevent suffering (therefore undermining the first premise that the …
William Rowe on the Evidential Problem of Evil - The …
William Rowe on the Evidential Problem of Evil See William Rowe, ‘The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism’ in M. M. Adams and R. M. Adams (edd), The Problem of Evil …
IX. THE PROBLEM OF EVIL AND SOME VARIETIES OF ATHEISM
There remains, however, what we may call the evidential form-as opposed to the logical form--of the problem of evil: the view that the variety and profusion of evil in our world, although …
The problem of evil and the free will defence - A Level …
The evidential problem of evil claims that the amount and distribution of evil that exists is good evidence that an omnipotent, good God does not exist. It understands the argument …
Evidential Arguments from Evil I. Reasons: Inductive and …
Last time we considered a deductive argument posing the Problem of Evil for theism (here slightly modified): (1) If God existed, she’d be omniscient, omnipotent, good (OOG).
Evidential Problems of Evil - PhilArchive
Perhaps the best known evidential arguments from evil are those presented in Rowe (1979) and Draper (1989). We shall spend most of the rest of this chapter examining these two …
Rowe’s Arguments from Evil - PhilPapers
Rowe’s Arguments from Evil In a series of papers over the past thirty-five years, William Rowe—(1979), (1986), (1991), (1996), (2001a), (2001c)—has claimed that the kinds and …
3. ROWE’S EVIDENTIAL ARGUMENTS FROM EVIL - Springer
For nearly thirty years, William Rowe has been articulating, defending and refining the evidential argument from evil – the argument that the presence of evil in the world inductively supports or …
The Problem of Evil - Springer
evidential problem of evil poses a different problem to theists with its claim that “the facts of evil constitute evidence against the hypothesis that the world was created, and is governed, by an …
The Evidential Problem Of Evil - exmon01.external.cshl.edu
into four parts: important statements addressing the problem of evil from great literature and classical philosophy; debates based on the logical, evidential, and existential versions of the …
The Problem of Evil and the Probity of Doing Theodicy from …
The problem of evil, pain and suffering, preserves the ancient question of why God could have allowed evil in our world. There have been several arguments from both
Three responses to the problem of evil - A Level Philosophy
The evidential problem of evil claims that the amount and distribution of evil that exists is good evidence that an omnipotent, good God does not exist. It understands the
Refuting Evidential Problems of Evil - kencoughlan.org
Gregory E. Ganssle and Yena Lee address different variations of the evidential argument from evil, beginning with that advanced by William Rowe. According to the authors, Rowe’s
An Examination of the “Problem of Evil”, Theodicy, and a …
“Problem of evil?” How has it been used? And what do I care or think of it? The problem of evil is generally regarded as the dilemma that arises with the belief in an Omnipotent, Omniscient, …
ROWE'S NEW EVIDENTIAL ARGUMENT FROM EVIL: …
In the following step of his argument, Rowe introduces the problem of evil in the guise of the question, Is our world the best God could do? To answer this question, Rowe distinguishes …
1.1 The Problem of Evil 1 Animal Pain and the Evidential
The evidential problem of evil argues the weaker claim that evidence of evil in the world makes it unlikely God exists. The evils referred to in these problems fall into two broad categories:
Evidential arguments from evil - UCSC
Recent discussion of the problem of evil has centered around what is known as the probabilistic or evidential argument from evil. According to this argu-ment the evil in our world is evidence …
Peter Van Inwagen on the Problem of Evil
In his Gifford Lectures, delivered at the University of St Andrews in 2003, van Inwagen presents a comprehensive examination of the problem of evil, both the so-called logical problem of evil …
Recent Work on the Problem of Evil - JSTOR
mulations of the theoretical problem of evil which have emerged in the contemporary scholarship: the logical problem and the evidential problem, respectively. These two sections explore the …
The problem of evil as an evidential problemthe …
Augustine’s theodicy resolves the logical problem of evil by giving God more than one good reason to not intervene to prevent suffering (therefore undermining the first premise that the …
