The Problem of Evil philosophicaladvisor恶的问题philosophicaladvisor.pptVIP

The Problem of Evil An Ethical Argument Against the Existence of God, and the Defense from that Argument The Problem of Evil Somehow, evil is thought to pose a problem for belief that God exists. It is a particular and prominent case of thinking that belief in God is irrational (and here we are thinking of the traditional, Sunday morning God … Saturday Sabbath … Friday Mosque God, who is, among other things, all good, all powerful, and all knowing). There are many efforts in philosophical and other literature (Milton’s Paradise Lost, Dostoevskys The Brothers Karamazov, others) to say just what the problem is. Among philosophers, the effort traditionally takes the form of an argument: The Argument from Evil. Read excerpt of The Brothers, here (final paragraph, “Part 2”) The Argument from Evil Let G = God is all good P = God is all powerful W = God is willing to prevent evil A = God is able to prevent evil E = Evil exists Also, let . = and = If, then ~ = not Then we can construct the following argument … 1. (G.P) (W.A) 2. (W.A) ~E 3. E_________ 4. ~(G.P) The Argument from Evil So, in English, the argument reads: If God is all good and all powerful, then he is willing and able to prevent evil. If God is willing and able to prevent evil, then there isn’t any evil. Ah, but there is evil! Therefore, there is no all good, all powerful God. Notice that the conclusion allows a God that is all good but not all powerful, or a God that is all powerful but not all good. It does not allow, however, a God that is both all good and all powerful. 1. (G.P) (W.A) 2. (W.A) ~E 3. E_________ 4. ~(G.P) The Validity of the Argument Could something be wrong with the form of the argument? No. The argument shows the antecedent is false through 2 steps of Modus Tollens, a valid argument form. If she was Stabbed in the car, then there would be Blood in the car. There is No Blood in the car. Therefore, she was Not Stabbed in the car. So, if the argument is flawed, the flaw mu