The Problem of Evil Disproved by the Free Will Defense
The Problem of Evil states that because evil exists the existence of a tri-omni being, which we typically refer to as God, is impossible. This argument, if proved to be true, would refute the Cosmological Argument for God’s Existence. The Cosmological Argument states that not every being can be a dependent being without infinite regress (which is believed to be impossible), so there exists a tri-omni self dependent being known as God which initiated the dependency of the universe. The disproving of God and, thus, all theories proving the existence of God, would be disastrous to the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas and all people who believe in the existence of a tri-omni being. Fortunately for these people, there are solutions to the Problem of Evil. Below will be a discussion on various attempts to solve the Problem of Evil, specifically the Free Will Defense.
Some argue that the Problem of Evil is unimportant because there is no such thing as evil. The vital part of this argument is dependent upon the definition of evil. In general, evil is defined as needless suffering. In reality, suffering exists and there is not always a need for it. So, needless suffering and thus evil do exist. This argument does not refute the Problem of Evil. Since God is the being to which the Problem of Evil poses the greatest problem, perhaps the definition of God can be altered to allow evil. This does not work for several reasons. First, the Cosmological Argument only proves one definition of God. By changing the definition of God there is no longer any point to the matter because the Cosmological Argument and thus the Problem of Evil become irrelev...
... middle of paper ...
...ems to follow that he was bound to act as he did.” (Ayer 481)
Compatibilism proves that free will and Determinism are compatible and specifically that Determinism cannot be used to disprove free will because free will is inherently determined.
Though there is some debate as to the existence of God, the matter has not been sufficiently proven one way or the other. In the event that there is a God who is consistent with the traditional Western theory of a tri-omni being and whose existence is proved through use of the Cosmological Argument, its existence cannot be disproved by the Problem of Evil. The Problem of Evil itself is disproved by the Free Will Defense and the compatibility of Determinism with the Free Will Defense. Much to the relief of St. Thomas Aquinas, the existence of evil cannot in and of itself disprove the Cosmological Argument.
Based on the article ‘Compatibilism’ written by W.T. Stace, he explained about the reconciliation between free will and causal determinism. He tries to reconcile both of these by adopting a compatibilist view of freedom. Firstly, it says that free will is related with morality which means if one is absent, so the other. We appear to be free, however, determinism suggests that every actions that we did are determined by previous events that happened to us that we have no control over it.
Hurston, Zora Neale. "Sweat." Norton Anthology of Southern Literature. Ed. William L. Andrews. New York: Norton, 1998.
The problem of evil is a difficult objection to contend with for theists. Indeed, major crises of faith can occur after observing or experiencing the wide variety and depths of suffering in the world. It also stands that these “evils” of suffering call into question the existence of an omnibenevolent and omnipotent God of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The “greater good defense” tries to account for some of the issues presented, but still has flaws of its own.
In this paper, I will use the writings of John Hick and Richard Swinburne to dispute the problem of evil argument. After I first elaborate on the P.O.E., I will give support for God’s existence with regards to the problem of evil. Then, I will address further counterarguments
Champion, Laurie. "Socioeconomics in Selected Short Stories of Zora Neale Hurston." Gale Artemis Literary Sources (2001).
...ng point, ‘“Mah cup is done run ovah,”’ again, another metaphorical illustration of how tired she is of being physically mistreated and mentally abused by Sykes, thus, her rage is channeled towards protecting herself and the property she has assumed through her dedication as a washwoman. Hurston makes this ever so clear as Delia shouts at Sykes, ‘“Don't think Ah'm gointuh be run 'way fum mah house neither.”’ Sykes has been unfaithful to Delia for a while now and she has finally taken the final straw. Hurston empowers Delia, through writing, “Delia said this with no signs of fear and Sykes departed from the house, threatening her, but made not the slightest move to carry out any of them.” This is an important step for Delia towards independence. Delia is no longer afraid of Sykes, however she has one more fear to overcome before she is completely free of oppression.
Seidel, Kathryn L. “The Artist in the Kitchen: The Economics of Creativity in Hurston’s Sweat.”
There is evil. 3. So, God does not exist”. Since there is evil, then that means God does not exist.
Free will is the ability for a person to make their own decisions without the constraints of necessity and fate, in other words, their actions are not determined. Determinism is the view that the initial conditions of the universe and all possible worlds are the same, including the laws of nature, causing all events to play out the same. Events are determined by the initial conditions. Two prominent positions advocated concerning the relation between free will and determinism are compatibilism and incompatibilism. In this essay I shall argue that compatibilism is true. Firstly, I shall explain what compatibilism is and consider possible objections and responses to the theory. I shall then examine incompatibilism and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses and argue that compatibilism is a stronger argument and, as a result, show why it is also true.
The presence of evil has been a conflicting view amidst various philosophers dating back thousands of years. With the belief in God across the world, an essential question arises: Since God is claimed to be omniscient, omnipotent, and all-loving, then how can there be evil in the world? Augustine of Hippo, a preeminent philosopher who was born in Algeria, North Africa in 354, had attempted to expound this significant contradiction. In 360, Augustine followed the religion of Manichaeism, which was founded by a Persian man named Mani. They believed that humankind, being a byproduct of the devil, was inherently evil and, therefore, not culpable for evil in the world. With the belief that humans were capable of free will, Augustine ultimately broke ties with the Manichaeans. Human beings as one entity of body and soul were made good by the almighty God and with their free will were able to cause evil phenomenons to occur, which rules out the idea that God is the cause of evil. Peter Kreeft was one that agreed with the ideals of Augustine and offered an answer to why God created the possibility of evil.
An oligopoly is defined as "a market structure in which only a few sellers offer similar or identical products" (Gans, King and Mankiw 1999, pp.-334). Since there are only a few sellers, the actions of any one firm in an oligopolistic market can have a large impact on the profits of all the other firms. Due to this, all the firms in an oligopolistic market are interdependent on one another. This relationship between the few sellers is what differentiates oligopolies from perfect competition and monopolies. Although firms in oligopolies have competitors, they do not face so much competition that they are price takers (as in perfect competition). Hence, they retain substantial control over the price they charge for their goods (characteristic of monopolies).
Fifty Shades of Grey, is one of UK’s best-selling novels, and is written by the famously known author E.L James. E.L James was not a prominent writer until the release of the Fifty Shades trilogy, which, she claimed to have written during her mid-life crisis. This novel has taken female audiences all over the world by storm. It is set mainly in Seattle, and is the first book of the Fifty Shades trilogy (Fifty Shades Darker is the second book, and Fifty Shades Freed is the third book) (Gilman, 2013).
In Hurston 's short story “Sweat”, the theme is expressed in many ways throughout the story, though most prominently by way of domestic violence and ungratefulness shown
The discussion of free will and its compatibility with determinism comes down to one’s conception of actions. Most philosophers and physicists would agree that events have specific causes, especially events in nature. The question becomes more controversial when philosophers discuss the interaction between human beings, or agents, and the world. If one holds the belief that all actions and events are caused by prior events, it would seem as though he would be accepting determinism
The four market structures: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly entails various characteristics that exemplify the level of competition within the market. These distinct features include having a number of sellers, producing a homogeneous or differentiated goods or services, pricing power, a level of competition, barriers to entering or exit the markets, efficiency, and profits. Due to the high profit and revenue some firms face within the various market structure, barriers to entry are put in place to restrict new competitors from entering. Natural, artificial, and governmental barriers play a vital role in firms ability to stay in a market, be productive, efficient, and competitive. Firms reaction to price changes, the government’s ability to create a price, and the influence of international trade on the market structures, are essential factors that economist evaluate the various market structures. Overall, the competition between market structures may not always result in the same outcome, due to the behavior and interaction between consumer’s and buyers, but in the end, both the buyer’s and seller’s are needs are